


Partners in Time

by xxDustNight88



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Death, Depression, F/M, Infidelity, Mildly Dubious Consent, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Content, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2018-09-14 03:32:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 25,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9158272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxDustNight88/pseuds/xxDustNight88
Summary: When her partner gets lost in time, Hermione is forced to seek out the help of her estranged husband. With Draco by her side, she travels through time desperately searching for Theo. Along the way, Hermione finds herself having to accept that sometimes love truly is forever and that maybe you really can love more than one person at a time.





	1. Prologue: January 17, 1980

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my lovely readers! I’m so excited to share this new story with you. It’s been nagging me for quite some time and I finally decided to start writing it out. Now, I want to let you know I will be writing this as I go and that I do not have an update schedule planned because I will also be starting to post and update Empire (the sequel to Wolves without Teeth) shortly. That said, these chapters will most likely be short and sporadic much like Nights in Diagon Alley (which is nearly finished as well). 
> 
> I am also encouraging you to check out the trigger warnings as they will become quite important as this story moves forward. I am not joking when I say that this is predominantly a Themione story and Character Death will happen. If that makes you unhappy, this may not be the story for you. This is my first full-length Themione, and while Dramione will play a significant role, Hermione will end up with Theo in the end. Also, as this a Time Travel story, the chapters will jump around from future to past to present so make sure to read the Time Jump Dates. Okay! Enough of that…please enjoy and make sure to drop me a review when you’re finished! I’d love some feedback on this! xxDustNight
> 
> [Partners in Time Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA)  
> Song Recommendations: “Night Time” by The xx, “The Rope” by Hurts

_Time Jump #47: January 17, 1980_

Silently, the pair crept down the empty hospital hallway, their footsteps barely making a sound. It was nearly three in the morning, and both were anxiously trying not to be seen. They shouldn’t even be here really, but time was a fickle thing. Actually, messing with time was worst of all, and that’s exactly what they were currently doing. And right now time was not in their favor, the minutes ticking by and making their heart rates quicken with fear.

Turning the corner into the maternity ward, the curly-haired witch held out her hand, urging her partner to stop. There were two nurses stationed at the desk, sipping coffee or tea and filing mundane paperwork. They had to think quickly or their entire mission would be for nothing—he would disappear, never having lived at all. Biting her lip, the witch turned and shoved her partner further out of the nurses’ line of vision.

“We have to warn her.”

“How do you suppose we do that? She’ll never believe us,” the man replied on a sigh. “Besides, we’re not supposed to alter anything.”

“Shut it,” the witch practically growled. “If we don’t do _something_ , there won’t be any reason for us being here! We’ll disappear into time! If we don’t warn her, he dies and _everything_ changes.”

Groaning, the wizard turned his back on the witch to run a hand through his blond hair. He took deep, even breaths to try and calm himself, the disinfectant scented air of the hospital making him slightly lightheaded. They had to do this carefully—the slightest change could revise their entire future. Shaking his head, he turned back around, resolution and defeat reflected in his eyes. He knew in his heart of hearts there was no avoiding this, no way of backing down. If they returned without warning the woman in the room down the hall, there would be nothing for her to go back to…

“Okay,” he murmured, closing his eyes and knowing he’d do anything for her, even after all this time. Damn it, he’d risk changing history for her. “What do you suggest we do?”

The smile that lit up her face was enough to push his uneasiness aside for the time being. She seemed to know this, her small hand reaching out to smooth over his shoulder. “You cause a distraction while I go into the room and administer the antidote.”

His mouth dropped open in shock. “You’re kidding me, right? And if I get _arrested_ , in the past I might add, how are you going to explain that to the Minister?” He gave her his trademark smirk, causing her to narrow her brown eyes.

“Don’t be ridiculous…you won’t get arrested. You’re just going to knock over that medical supply cart,” she explained, indicating the cart across the hall from where they were standing. “Then, you’ll apparate to the exit point. I’ll meet you there.”

He blinked at her—once, twice, and then a third time before answering. “Have you gone completely mad,” he hissed, attempting to keep his voice low. “That’s probably the worst idea you’ve had since convincing me to join you on this insane rescue mission of yours.”

Huffing, she put her hands on her hips, jutting out her chin in defiance. “I don’t see you coming up with a better idea. We are running a bit short on time, if you’ve forgotten, and this is the quickest way to get the job done.”

“Oh for the love of Salazar. I can’t believe I’m going to let you talk me into this…”

“He’ll die…he’ll never be born…”

“I know.”

She shrugged her shoulders, giving him a sad smile. “I love him,” she admitted, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly under the fluorescent lighting. He moved closer to her, pulling her into his body and wrapping his arms securely around her. Settling his chin on top of her curls, he closed his eyes again and ignored the pain that radiated in his chest.

“I know you do, Hermione. I know you do.”

“Draco—I…I’m so sorry…”

“Don’t.” He cleared his throat, holding her at arm’s length to stare into her tear-brimmed eyes. “Don’t be, alright? You and I…we. _Fuck_. It’s not important right now. Right now we have to save Theo.”

She nodded, not quite meeting his gaze. “I love you too—I always will.”

“Damn it, Hermione,” he growled before tugging her back into his embrace and bringing his lips down onto hers with bruising force. She kissed him back frantically, her body fitting against his just like old times. Draco hated himself in this moment, and he hated her too. How could she be falling in love with Theo but still love him? It wasn’t fair. Nothing was fair, but they had a job to do, and that meant he needed to end this before things escalated. He pushed her away, not even caring when she stumbled into the wall, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Go,” he panted, pointing towards the room they needed to get into. “Go now before I change my mind.” She nodded, looking a bit dazed. Knowing this was insane, he withdrew his wand from the inside of his cloak and shot a stinging hex at the medical cart. It exploded everywhere, effectively hiding the sound of Hermione’s disapparation. Then, when he heard the two nurses as they ran towards the sound of the commotion, he closed his eyes and apparated away, praying everything worked. If not, they were doomed.

Her arrival woke the woman lying in the bed, her dark eyes wide with fear. Hermione held up her hands in what she hoped was a sign that she was not there to harm her. “Mrs. Nott?”

“Yes…?”

“Oh good.” Sighing with relief, Hermione slipped a hand into her cloak and pulled out a vial of potion. “I’m here to give you this before it’s too late.”

“I’m sorry, but why would I take _anything_ from a strange person who just shows up in my hospital room in the middle of the night?” Ada Nott made to grab for her wand, but Hermione had been prepared for this, speaking up and startling her to pay attention.

“Because if you don’t, that baby you’re about to deliver is going to die.” She indicated the round stomach hidden under the beige blanket. Immediately, Ada covered her belly with both hands, shielding her unborn child. “You’re infected with Dragon Pox, and if you don’t take this antidote _tonight_ your baby is going to die, along with you.”

Ada sputtered, face going pale in the semi-darkness. “Dragon Pox…how do you know? I’ve not shown any symptoms…”

“It’s not important, but you have to take this. Please.” She moved forward, setting the vial on the bedside stand before stepping away. The commotion in the hallway was dying down which meant she had mere minutes before she needed to meet Draco at their exit point. If she didn’t…she’d be lost in time too. “I have to go, but I need you to take that before I do. I need to be certain.”

“It’s not poison?”

“No, of course not. I’m not a killer.”

Hesitantly, Ada reached for the vial, pulling the stopper out and setting it aside. She then looked back at Hermione, and she must have seen something she wanted because she put the vial to her lips. Tipping her head back, she swallowed the antidote in one gulp, grimacing at the foul taste. A second later, Hermione heard the tell-tale signs of an approaching nurse. She hurried forward, taking the vial and stopper to tuck away. She nodded once to Ada before disappearing from the room just as the nurse entered to make sure everything was alright.

Draco was ready for her outside, his hand intertwining with hers as she ran into his waiting arms. Brown eyes met silver as the ticking sound started around them followed by the whirling wind. As they were transported back to present day, Hermione could only hope that they’d been successful and that Theodore Nott had been born to Ada and Thomas Nott at 8:32pm on January 17, 1980. If not…then the world would be a far different place than they’d left behind. If Theo was never born, then how would she ever find him?

You couldn’t be lost in time if you’d never been born at all.


	2. Part I: October 20, 2016

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song Recommendations: “Someday” by Rob Thomas, “You know I’m No Good” by Amy Winehouse  
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that reviewed the first chapter! I’m so thrilled you’re all as excited as I am about this story. It’s going to be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, so be prepared! Thank you to starrnobella and k_lynne317 for beta reading for me! Love you! xxDustNight
> 
> You can also check out the playlist, which I will update before I post each chapter, here: http*s://open.spot*ify.com/u*ser/124640*1351/pla*ylist/6hb4vunuUow*A3PyCrmtGMA (just remove the * for it to work)

_October 20, 2016_

“I’ve found something.”

Not taking her eyes off of the file she was reading, Hermione sighed heavily and replied to her work partner. “I hope it’s that casefile you lost last week, Theodore.” When she finally glanced up, she smiled, finding a playful pout on his lips.

“You’re seriously no fun, Granger,” he complained, striding into her office and plopping himself down in the chair across from her organized desk. “But no, I still haven’t been able to locate that file.” He scratched absentmindedly at the back of his head, his longer than normal hair flipping back and forth. “I’m starting to think I left it in one of the rooms down here…”

“Never to be found again, I suppose?”

He grinned cheekily, crossing his arms. “The Department of Mysteries claims another victim.”

Groaning, Hermione shoved away her paperwork to give Theo her full attention. “Kingsley is going to have both our heads if you keep losing files, Theo. I can’t cover for you forever.” Tucking her hair behind an ear she finally caved. “Alright, so what did you find?”

Slipping a hand into the inside pocket of his work robes, he slowly withdrew a small object. Dramatically, he placed it on the desk between them, a sly look on his face as he sat back in his chair and waited for her response. Her brow furrowed as she examined the golden object before meeting his stare.

“Is that—”

“A Time-Turner. Yes.”

“But they were all destroyed during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in 1996,” Hermione practically whispered, tentatively reaching out to stroke one finger along the Time-Turner’s surface. She’d been there—she’d witnessed the way the Time-Turners broke and were stuck in an endless loop, rendering them completely useless. “Where on Earth did you find this?”

“My father’s mansion,” Theo said with a shrug, as if it was no big deal. “I was doing a bit of cleaning this past weekend and found it in a secret drawer behind his liquor cabinet.” A pained expression passed across his features, and he looked away from Hermione’s penetrating stare.

“I’m sorry, Theo.”

“Don’t worry about it, Granger.” He waved her off, voice quiet, “It was bound to happen eventually. One can only live for so long in Azkaban before the insanity drives you to death.” Pulling a fake smile, he finally looked back at Hermione, choosing to ignore the pity on her round face.

Biting her lip, Hermione added, “If you need to, you can take a few more days off of work…”

“No,” he cut her off, then changed his voice to a more soothing tone. “No, I’m alright. Besides, we have this to play with now. I don’t want to miss work.”

Hermione’s face fell at Theo’s words, an uncomfortable sense of foreboding settling in her stomach. “Play with it? I don’t think so, Theo. Time-Turners are not meant to be _played_ with. It needs to be reported to the Minister, cataloged, and then stored safely away where no one, absolutely _no one_ can ever find it.” She dreaded to imagine what the few Death Eater sympathizers in their world would do to get their hands on such an item. Shaking herself, she reached for the Time-Turner, planning on locking it in her secret safe for the time being.

“It takes you back to whenever you want.”

Freezing in place, Hermione felt all the air rush out of her lungs. Her eyes went wide with fear and curiosity at Theo’s words. “Wha—what?” She stammered, unable to believe what she was hearing.

He shrugged, explaining further. “Or forwards too, I suspect, but I haven’t tried that one yet.”

“ _Theodore Nott_ ,” Hermione seethed, lifting one hand and using her wandless magic to slam the office door shut. She ignored the way he flinched, not caring about his feelings at the moment. “You can’t just go messing about with time! You can change the entire _time stream_!”

A bit taken aback at her outburst, Theo held up his hands. “Whoa, Granger. Calm down—I didn’t _do_ anything. I just hid in the shadows and watched.” Even though he was a bit nervous at her reaction, and disappointed, he couldn’t help the tiny smirk that slipped onto his face. “It was kind of fun watching our sorting ceremony all over again. You were adorable by the way, all frizzy hair, bucked teeth, and trembling hands.”

Placing her hands flat on her desk, Hermione leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. “You irresponsible _idiot_ —” Pulling up suddenly, she asked, “Did you say I was _adorable_ back then?” When his smirk merely grew, she groaned and threw her hands into the air. “You’re unbelievable, do you know that?”

“Absolutely,” he answered without pause. “Now, don’t you want to try it with me?” This time he was the one to lean forward, leveling his gaze with hers, and trying to turn on the charm.

“ _No_. No way, Theo. That goes against all sorts of rules and regulations. I should report you for using this without authorization,” she rambled, snatching up the Time-Turner and wrapping her hand securely around it. “We could both lose our jobs for sure, and I’m hoping to get Head of Department within the next year…” She trailed off, worrying her lip again as she held her closed hand against her chest.

“We need to test it, Granger. We have to be certain it works both ways so when we fill out the paperwork, we can accurately write down all the details. You wouldn’t want to leave something out of the report, would you?” When her shoulders dropped ever so slightly in defeat, he knew he almost had her. She was stubborn though, and would need a bit more prodding to want to travel through time with him. “We can just pop through time and visit the future for five minutes…it’s no big deal.”

She blinked at him, relaxing ever so slightly. Despite her trepidation, she couldn’t help the tiny bit on curiosity that sparked inside of her. She’d used a Time-Turner before, so surely it would be safe to do so again, as an adult. An adult who worked in the Department of Mysteries and was supposed to be capable of dealing with the unknown. Opening her hand, Hermione examined the Time-Turner she held in her hand. Lifting her gaze to Theo’s, she sighed.

“Theo, you do realize this is insane, right? Time isn’t supposed to be _visited_.”

“Come on, Granger. When was the last time you did anything crazy? Anything reckless?” Whiskey eyes met chocolate, and he felt the tension build ever so slightly. His gaze dropped to her plump lips, a stirring of longing flashing through him briefly before he met her eyes once more.

She held his gaze steady for another second before glancing away, regret making her insides twist. Memories of the New Year’s Eve Ministry Gala three years ago flashed through her mind. Drunken kisses in the broom closet, the ripped skirt of her sapphire dress, Theo’s teeth grazing the sensitive skin of her neck, tearful explanations to her husband afterwards… It was a night she yearned to forget, the last time she’d done something reckless and out of character. It’d been the tipping point in her life, and she’d been running ever since.

Until she’d been transferred from the MLE to the Department of Mysteries a year and a half ago. How she and Theo managed to work together without things becoming uncomfortable, she had no idea, but the way he was looking at her right now made her burn with desire. Swallowing roughly, she set the Time-Turner back on the desk and slid it across the surface towards her partner. He was waiting for a response from her, and she had no idea what to say. Messing with time was certainly not something they needed to do.

“I don’t know, Theo…let me think about it, alright?”

“Okay,” he answered, nodding his head before picking up the Time-Turner and returning it to his pocket. Then, with a bit of a wave, he stood, opened the door, and disappeared out into the corridor.

Hermione waited until he was gone to drop her face into her hands. Sometimes she seriously hated herself, and right now, was one of those times. She knew in her heart she was going to accept his challenge and travel to the future, not only because they needed to properly file the paperwork for the Time-Turner, but also because she had feelings for the wizard. That she couldn’t deny no matter how much it hurt and made her regret past decisions.

“This is a horrid idea…” she muttered to her empty office.


	3. Time Jump #4: August 23, 2025

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time Jump #4: August 23, 2025  
> Song Recommendations: “Be Mine” by The Heavy, “I Won’t Give Up” by Coren Paschoal  
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a snow day so I was able to get another chapter done! This one is for starrnobella and Dramione84 who helped me with the idea for where they’d end up in time! Also a thank you to starrnobella for reading it over for me! Thank you to those that reviewed! I appreciate it! Remember to pay attention to the time jumps and dates! Enjoy, and please review when finished! xxDustNight

_Time Jump #4: August 23, 2025_

Landing in the middle of a dense forest, Hermione and Draco immediately separated, the former extracting the intricate golden chain from around their necks. Pocketing the Time-Turner for safe keeping, she wet her lips as she inspected the area they’d arrived. Draco appeared to be doing the same, running a hand through his blond hair and making sure to look anywhere but at her. Clearly, the awkward moment from back in the office hadn’t left him feeling any less upset at her than before.

“Alright, so where do you think we are,” he questioned, walking to peer around the trees. “Or rather, how far into the future have we gone?”

Inhaling, Hermione tried to calm her nerves. Unlike Draco, she’d never been too good at masking her emotions. It’s what always brought them to blows…well, words anyway. They were always so good at fighting with one another, each one unwilling to let the other have the last word. Even in the end, he’d fought valiantly for her, but she’d insisted on the break, unable to look at him every single day while thinking of someone else…

Shaking herself, she joined him at the edge of the clearing. “No idea, but we’ll never find out if we linger here in the forest. Let’s head that way,” she insisted, pointing towards an area that appeared to be a path of sorts. They fell into step next to one another easily enough, both taking care not to bump into the other. Occasionally, Hermione would glance up at Draco through her eyelashes, trying to discern his mood. He was giving nothing away though, silver eyes staring straight ahead and jaw clenched.

After a few minutes, they neared the edge of the forest, light from the fading sun beginning to filter through the branches. There was also a strange noise, and without even having to glance over at Draco, she knew he’d withdrawn his wand from inside his robes. She did the same, the feel of it reassuring in her palm. About ten feet from the edge, they stopped, both listening intently as they tried to figure out what they were hearing.

Tired of waiting, Draco reached out and took hold of Hermione’s shoulder. “You first—this is your crazy mission, after all.” He shoved her forward, snickering slightly as she stumbled over the uneven terrain.

“Prat,” she mumbled, regaining her footing. She shot him a glare as she put her back against the largest tree. He was staring at her intently, arms crossed, but wand at the ready. Sunlight made his blond hair shimmer and his eyes appear almost molten. She was momentarily reminded of how attractive she always found him, but pushed aside such thoughts, swallowing audibly. Taking a deep breath, she broke eye contact with her ex-husband and peered around the tree, a stunning spell ready on the tip of her tongue.

Upon seeing what was before her, she deflated, wand arm dropping as she stepped fully into a gap between trees. “You’re kidding me,” she whispered, exasperated. With pursed lips, she turned around to glare at Draco, hands coming to rest on her hips. “Just wait until you see where the hell we ended up.” She gestured over her shoulder using her wand.

Confusion clouding his face, Draco stalked forward, brushing past her to find out what she was so disappointed about. He stopped short, the large stadium now making sense of the noise they heard. It was cheering, lots and lots of cheering echoing through the forest. A huge grin grew on his face as excitement bubbled in his chest. “Do you know what this means?”

“Of course I do—”

“It’s Quidditch!”

“Quidditch,” she groaned, rubbing a hand over her weary face. “It just _had_ to be the Quidditch World Cup.”

“Yes! Now _this_ is how you time travel, Granger,” Draco practically sang as he made to step fully out of the forest and towards the stadium where the most anticipated game whatever year they were visiting was currently taking place.

“Shut it, Malfoy,” she countered, taking hold of his arm and dragging him back into the forest and out of sight. “We can’t just go barging in there, you realize. You know just as well as I do all the security protocols and wards that protect that stadium.”

Smile fading, Draco glanced forlornly back at the stadium before sighing with resignation. “Damn it. You’re right.” Re-crossing his arms, he stared hard down at the curly-haired witch. “What now?”

“No clue, but Theo must be here somewhere…at least some version of him.” She glanced about as if her work partner would suddenly appear and end this search so they could go home.

“We don’t even know where _here_ is, Granger,” Draco pointed out, gesturing around them. “I suggest we at least figure out the where and when of this place…and maybe who’s playing. That might help us.” He glanced away guiltily, not letting her catch his eye.

Narrowing her eyes, she poked him in the chest. “Draco Malfoy, you just want to know who is playing so in the future, _our_ future, you can place a bet and win!” He brushed her hand away, a smirk now playing on his lips as he met her chocolate eyes.

“I would never—”

“That’s bullshit and you know it,” she cried, laughing at him.

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, grinning down at her with a real smile this time. Sighing again, he met her gaze and turned serious. “Look, Theo’s obviously not here, our Theo, I mean. If he was, then he’d be hiding out here somewhere like we are, unable to get in the stadium.”

“That’s true, and there’s no sign of him.” Hermione dropped her gaze to her hands, a sudden sadness overtaking her. “I just thought this time…we’d find him.”

“Look,” Draco began, using his finger to push under her chin so she was looking at him again. “We’ll find him, I promise, but we’re just going to have to keep looking.”

“You don’t mind?”

She held her breath waiting for his answer. That was what they’d been fighting about before traveling to this point in time. She’d asked him to come with her again, and he’d told her no. He’d also said it was a waste of time, that Theo was probably lost forever and she should just move on like she did with him. Of course she’d been forced to defend Theo, insinuating that Theo was worth twice the wizard Draco was. He’d not liked that, and slammed his office door in her face. It wasn’t until she’d started crying and muttered through the patrician that Theo would search for him if it were the other way around that he’d finally opened the door, pulling her inside.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Draco exhaled slowly. “No,” he spoke softly, I don’t mind.” When Hermione burst into tears, covering her face, his eyes went wide. “Merlin, Granger…there’s no need for all that.”

Sobbing into her hands, Hermione tried to speak. “I’m sorry—I’m just so thankful that you’re here with me. I couldn’t do this all alone. There’s so many places to look in the past and future. I’ve no idea where he’s gone.”

As she continued to cry. Draco felt a bit of the wall he’d built up around his heart beginning to crumble. Despite what she’d done in the past, with Theo no less, Draco knew that she still held a small piece of him. So, rolling his eyes towards the canopy of trees, he reached out and tugged her into his arms, hating that she still seemed to fit so securely.

“Quiet, Granger,” he scolded softly. “Your sobs are going to set off the wards.”

“No—no they’re not,” she sniffled into his chest, arms wrapping around him as she glanced up through her teary eyes. “You’re just saying that to be mean.”

“You caught me,” he replied with a smirk. “Always trying to make fun of you.” His heart ached as old feelings stirred within him. Glancing away, he tried to hide this from Hermione, not wanting her to feel worse than she already did.

A small giggle left her then, a smile breaking through her tears. Reaching into her pocket, Draco extracted the Time-Turner. She said nothing as he did this, an old familiarity settling around them. He waited for her to untangle herself from his embrace before handing it to her. She nodded, wiping her eyes and face with the sleeve of her robes, and then taking it from him. Calming slightly, she returned the chain around them and then raised her eyebrows.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”


	4. Part II: October 24, 2016

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part II: October 24, 2016  
> Song Recommendations: “Take Your Time” by Sam Hunt, “Change Your Mind” by The Killers  
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, I should probably apologize for not updating in ages. Life and my other stories sort of got away from me. However, once school is out and I have more time to write versus time spent worrying about teaching, I plan on updating this at least once a week throughout the summertime. That said, I hope you enjoy this chapter. xxDustNight

_October 24, 2016_

Shifting her weight from foot to foot, Hermione stood in front of Theo's office door wondering for the umpteenth time whether she was making the biggest mistake of her life. She’d taken just a few days to ponder over both the pros and cons of using the Time-Turner Theo had found and his father's study. She knew that the cons far outweighed the pros, and that should anything go awry while they were traveling in time, entire time streams could be altered. It was madness, but it was a madness Hermione couldn't help but be tempted by.

So, with a shaking hand, she raised her fist and rapped softly on the closed door before her. There was a rustling from inside, followed by the unmistakable sound of somebody slamming into the side of a desk. She cringed, hoping that she wasn't disturbing Theo while he was working; after all, it wasn't very often that she found him working. Quite suddenly, the door was thrown open revealing Theo rubbing at his knee and looking a bit frazzled.

Theo’s longer than normal hair was disheveled as if he'd run his fingers through it repeatedly, and he had a freshly inked quill clamped between his teeth as he held open the door. His eyes grew wide before he ripped the quill from his mouth and opened the door wider to let Hermione inside. Sheepishly, he gave her a smirk before looking away.

“Granger,” he began, “I _swear_ I'll have those files signed and ready for you by this afternoon. I'm working on them now. They weren't due yet were they?”

With a sigh, Hermione smiled and shook her head. “No, Theo, they're not due until this afternoon.” Her face crumpled as she tried to hold back from scolding him for putting off his paperwork yet again. “I've actually come to talk to you about something else entirely.” She remained standing outside the office, her nerves rooting her to the spot despite the welcoming gesturing Theo gave her to move inside.

Theo narrowed his eyes, examining Hermione as he took in her words. As realization dawned on him, his dark eyes went wide and a huge grin spread across his regal features. At his sudden change in disposition, Hermione faltered, taking a step backward. This only seemed to spur on Theo's excitement.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Hermione asked, crossing her arms as she quirked an eyebrow disapprovingly. She had to bite the inside of her cheek from smiling back at the grinning fool.

“I think you know why,” Theo stated plainly, tucking the quill behind his ear before mirroring her posture. “You're going to say yes,” he said smugly.

“How can you be so sure,” she countered with hesitance, but she could no longer stop herself from lifting the corners of her lips into a smile of her own. Theo’s overabundance of excitement was contagious, and added to her nervousness, she found that she couldn't wipe the grin from her face.

Chuckling, Theo reached out and grabbed hold of her wrist, swiftly tugging her inside his office and sealing the door behind them. “Oh, I think it's fairly obvious, Hermione. You wouldn't have come here today looking so out of sorts with yourself if you weren't leaning more towards using the Time-Turner than not.” Letting go of her wrist, he gave her an approving looking before turning away. “If you had planned to say no,” he continued as he walked around his desk and sat down in his posh chair, “you would have waited for me to seek you out once more. Which I wouldn’t have done, by the way. This was a decision you needed to come to on your own.”

Still standing in front of the closed-door, Hermione hesitated as to what to do now. She was caught, Theo having figured her out with just one glance. How was it that she'd somehow convinced herself that it would be fine, that nothing bad would happen if they used the Time-Turner only once? So, with a sigh, she gingerly made her way forward and perched herself on the edge of the chair across from Theo.

“Look,” she practically whispered, afraid of saying aloud what she’d been keeping inside, “I'm not saying that I'm outright agreeing to use the Time-Turner. However, I am aware that we have to test it in order to make sure that it _is_ safe and does what you say it does, if only to clarify what will have to be written in the report.”

“Brilliant,” Theo mumbled, rifling around in his robe pocket. He extracted the glimmering Time-Turner and placed it on the desk in front of him. Gesturing toward the small, golden trinket, he further questioned her, “When do you want to go? We could go now. These papers can wait; after all, we’ll return to the same time and place that we left from.”

Throwing her hands up in a near panic, Hermione all but shouted, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who said that we were leaving right now? We can't just run off on an adventure through time! We need to have a plan, _and_ a back-up plan in case something goes wrong.”

“Come on, Hermione. When we talked about this previously, I asked you when the last time was that you did something reckless, and we both know when that was.” He deflated a bit after saying that, sinking into his chair and running both hands up over his face and through his mess of black hair. “I realize that things got pretty fucked up between you and Draco, and even me and Draco too. Hell, he still can’t hardly look me in the eye when we see each other. Despite all of that, don’t you want to just let it all go—all the planning and list making just for _once_?”

“Theo, you and I made a mistake, a _big_ one. And while I regret that it happened the way that it did, I don't regret that it happened with _you_. But if we go on this adventure together, and we mess up time and ruin other people's lives like we ruined Draco's, I'll never be able to forgive myself.”

Hermione watched as Theo contemplated what she said. His cheeks puffed out as he slowly released the breath that he held. It was true, the affair the two of them had partaken in truly did mess things up for Draco. He loved her desperately, and she, well she had loved him too but clearly not enough. Something about Theo, his mysteriousness, his dark hair and eyes, factored in with his brilliance, just drew her to him. She didn't quite know if anything would ever come of it but that didn't really matter. They were partners in the Department of Mysteries and that was that.

“Are you saying yes to traveling in time then, Hermione? Because I don't want to force you into anything. I feel like I might have forced you into that closet that night, and I can't imagine having you look at me every day the way you looked at me when Draco found us afterward.”

Swallowing thickly, Hermione glanced away for a moment, trying to catch her bearings. It was true; Theo was right. She did blame him that night for what happened. But after so much time, she realized that it wasn't just Theo's fault, it was hers too. In fact, it was probably more her fault than anyone's. Maybe someday she could forgive herself for that night and what transpired afterwards, but she didn't want to add any more pain and regret to her ledger.

Biting her lip, she nodded, finally giving voice to the answer that she knew since Theo had withdrawn the Time-Turner from his pocket all those days ago. “Yes,” she acknowledged. “Yes, we can travel through time together. But there will be stipulations, you understand?”

Practically bounding to his feet, somehow Theo managed to remain seated. Shoving all the paperwork to the side, he wrapped his elegant fingers around the Time-Turner before pulling it close and holding it to his chest. “Semantics. Where do you want to go?” He asked, ”Shall we go forwards in time or backwards. I've tried backwards already.”

Staring intensely at her partner, Hermione stood from where she sat and walked around the desk to hover beside him. Placing her hand gently overtop his where he held the Time-Turner, she quietly replied, almost afraid of screwing up time just by agreeing this insanity. “If this is going to be the only time we do this, as it should, we can go forwards since you have already tested going backwards.”

The smile returned to Theo's face, lighting up his eyes and making her realize that if this was anyone else she could have easily said no. But this was Theo, and somewhere along the line she started seeing him as more than just a friend and a co-worker. Although nothing could ever come of it, mostly because of their tangled past, she would enjoy this time with him, experimenting with the Time-Turner, before they had to hide it away forever.

Standing too, Theo met Hermione's chocolate eyes and nodded. “Okay,” he said resolutely. “Let's see where this thing can take us.” Then, together, they wrapped the chain around both their necks and Theo allowed Hermione to do the honor of twisting the miniscule hourglass, sending them hurtling into the unknown.


	5. Time Jump #19: June 6, 1994

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time Jump #19: June 6, 1994  
> Song Recommendations: “The Mess I Made” by Parachute, “Expo 86” by Death Cab for Cutie  
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was ridiculously hard to write because it's just been so long since I wrote Dramione, but I think it came out the way I needed it to. Also, I must reiterate this is primarily a Themione story but has Dramione as a side pairing. Anyway, thank you loves for all the reviews and love for the last chapter! **Also I would like to note that I have used movie canon rather than book canon for this chapter. In the movie "Slytherin Boy" is seen with Draco and Crabbe during the scene described. I have switched Slytherin Boy to be Theo to work with the story. Please do not send me messaged that I got this part wrong. I altered it to work for me. Yay for Fanfiction! Thank you to starrnobella for beta reading and Squarepeg72 for helping me with song selection! Please leave feedback! It keeps me motivated! xxDustNight

“Bloody hell, Granger,” Draco groaned scrubbing at his face with a Quidditch-calloused hand. “Hogwarts. Why the hell would Theo be here?”

“I don't know,” Hermione trailed off, glancing around the empty grounds. “He mentioned coming here before, so maybe he came back after we got separated.”

Draco huffed, crossing his arms and leaning back to rest against the castle facade. “Alright then, where, or rather,  _ when  _ are we?”

Reaching into her robes, Hermione extracted a small leather-bound notebook. She flipped open the cover and then produced a quill from thin air. Turning to the page she needed, she sighed before peering up at Draco to respond. “Well, the last time Theo said he was here was to see our sorting ceremony.”

“So, September 1991.” Draco gestured out at the freshly bloomed flowers and bright green leaves of the trees. “I hate to disappoint you, Sweetheart, but we're in the middle of spring.”

“I'm aware,” she responded with pursed lips. Pacing now, Hermione ran a hand through her hair as she tried to figure out what to do next. “We came here because Theo, of some sort, was here so we'll just go find him.”

Finally pushing away from the wall, Draco strode forward. “So you want to just aimlessly wander around Hogwarts where we could easily be recognized?” When she open her mouth, he threw his hands into the air and gushed, “That's it, you've lost it entirely.”

Before he could go any further, Hermione shoved him backwards against the wall. She slapped a hand over his mouth, silencing him. “Shhhhh,” she hissed with wide eyes.

About to push her aside, Draco suddenly realized why she shoved him the way she did. Voices could be heard on the pathway leading from the castle. Narrowing his eyes, Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione and tugged her closer against his body before casting a disillusionment charm. Hopefully, those walking by wouldn't notice them huddled there.

Carefully, the pair turned their heads to watch as the group wandered by. Hermione gasped then, shock making her feel numb. “Dear Merlin…”

“What?!” Draco exclaimed after dislodging Hermione's hand. “Who are they?”

“I know when we've gone back to.” She swallowed, and Draco was surprised by how pale she'd gone. When he quirked an eyebrow in question, she sighed and answered. “This is the day Sirius Black escaped with Buckbeak.”

“You're kidding?” Draco breathed, letting his eyes wander over to where the students disappeared. “So that was…?”

“Yes, that was Harry, Ron, and me.”

“Shit.”

“That's not all,” she whispered before biting her lip. Meeting Draco's silver eyes she shrugged. “I may have time traveled long before this whole thing started.”

“Before,” Draco deadpanned, the word tasting bitter and his mouth. “When?” He asked, although he suspected he already knew.

“Now. Today. June 6, 1994.” Stepping backward Hermione turned and dug her hands into her hair. “Which means there are  _ three  _ of me wandering these grounds right now.”

“Shit,” Draco responded yet again, rubbing the lower half of his face. “We are so fucked.”

“Will you watch your language?” Hermione scolded Draco, tempting fate to go have a look around the corner of the castle. “From what I remember, when Harry and I went back to stop both Buckbeak and Sirius from being murdered, we hid over that way.” She indicated some stone pillars.

“Okay, so let's get out of view then,” Draco said reasonably, grabbing her shirt sleeve to pull her into hiding. “And as for my language, I think the situation calls for a few expletives.”

“Whatever,” Hermione muttered, obviously distracted by the situation at hand. She looked back at the leather-bound journal she held, quickly scribbling down a few notes on an empty page. “So now that we know when we are, we just need to figure out where Theo might be.”

“Well,” Draco said scratching at the back of his neck, “that's easy enough to figure out.”

Confusion clouding her face, Hermione finished writing in her journal and tucked it away before looking up at him again. “What do you mean that's easy enough to figure out?”

“Now that we know  _ when  _ we are, I can easily tell you what Theo was up to this date and time.” There was a small smirk playing at his lips as he finished explaining.

“So are you planning to share this tidbit of information with me, or am I going to have to curse it out of you?” She asked withdrawing her wand from her robes. “You know I'm quite skilled in a few tickling charms, in case you might have forgotten.”

“Oh,” Draco exclaimed, holding up his hands in defense. “I haven't forgotten, Granger. But it  _ is  _ rather funny that you don't remember what Theo was doing on this day in 1994.”

“Why the bloody hell would I know what Theo was doing when we were third years?” Hermione said with a chuckle, tapping her wand on her wrist as she watched the grin grow on Draco's face. She scowled then, hating that he knew something she didn’t. 

“I do suppose you were rather distracted and may not have realized it was him at the time,” Draco began to explain, gently reaching for Hermione's wrist and pulling her to the edge of the castle so she could see more clearly.

Hermione tried to ignore the careful way Draco held onto her as he led her forward. She was still racking her brain in order to figure out what he was talking about too. She really had no clue what he was referring to, so she hoped he would clarify and quickly. When he stopped guiding her, he moved his hands to rest on her shoulders, turning her slightly so she could see down the pathway to another set of pillars that overlooked the garden outside Hagrid's hut.

“Okay,” she whispered, knowing that they had to be extra careful now because they were further in the open than they ought to be. “What am I looking at?”

“There. Don't you see it? Or rather don't you see  _ who _ ?”

She could hear the smirk in Draco's voice, which made the situation far more annoying. He knew how she felt when he knew something before her, so he was clearly drawing the suspense out in order to torture her. 

“Right there. Are you ready?” He asked her, his head coming down so he could rest his chin on her shoulder. He was watching the scene unfold along with her, and while he did so, he kept his hands on her shoulders, holding her close.

“Oh!” Hermione said breathlessly, realization finally dawning on her. “This is when I slapped you in the face,” Hermione muttered, a smirk of her own now forming on her lips. “But what about Theo?”

“Look there, Hermione.” Draco’s lips brushed against her ear as he spoke, sending a shiver down her spine. “What do you see?”

“I see you torturing Ron, Harry, and me about Buckbeak’s sentence along with your two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.” Hermione gestured at the scene before them, irritation now evident in her voice.

“No, no, no,” Draco replied with irritation of his own. “Yes, Crabbe was there, but Goyle was in detention this night.” Using the tip of his finger he turned Hermione's head ever so slightly so she would look to his other side. He knew the moment she realized what was wrong with her statement, the gasp leaving her lips so subtle most would not have even noticed had they not been listening for it like he was. His smirk turned to a grin as he waited for her response.

“Theo. It was Theo with you that night.” Excitement filled Hermione to the brim, thrilled to figure out what she'd been missing all along. “How did I never notice it was Theo there with you?”

“I don't know,” Draco said with amusement. “Perhaps, you were a bit preoccupied punching my face.”

Hermione chuckled, turning in his arms and using the palms of her hands to push him backwards so they were hidden once more. “I suppose you're right, but you did deserve it, after all.”

“I think that's one thing that you and I will always disagree on, Hermione.” Draco swallowed roughly, canting his head as he observed his ex-wife. “I still think hitting me was going a bit far.”

“Would you rather of had me curse you?” Hermione asked crossing her arms and glaring up into his face with defiance.

“Now that you mention it…”

“That's what I thought,” Hermione mumbled before turning back and looking over her shoulder towards where thirteen year old Theo was now helping Crabbe escort Draco and his bloody nose back to the castle. It was strange to notice Theo now, especially since she never really noticed him back at Hogwarts. Turning to Draco, she asked, “Did you and Theo hang out a lot in your younger years at Hogwarts? I don’t recall seeing you with him all that often.”

Draco let out a long breath before meeting her eyes to answer, “Not so much, really. I mostly spent my time with Crabbe and Goyle because that's what father wanted. Theo's family wasn't associated with ours back then as it was after the war ended.” He played with the cuff of his robes as he tried to decide what to say next. “I guess it wasn't until after the war ended and my alliances changed, along with my beliefs, that I got reacquainted with Theo.”

“I never knew that about you two. I just assumed you two were always friends, along with Blaise and Goyle.” Hermione didn't know what else to say, they didn't really ever talk too much about Draco's past before he changed his mind about his Pureblood, Half-Blood, and Muggle-Born views. It was always a sort of sore subject for the two of them, so they just left it alone.

“Yeah,” Draco began with a sigh, “I guess he and I bonded during our training at the Ministry. We were the only two Slytherins there, and sort of stuck together in the sea of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws.”

“That makes sense. And if it wasn't for your friendship with Theo, you would never have managed to become friends with Harry, Ron, and me either.” Hermione wasn't sure how he would take her statement; because even though Theo helped to bring them together, he also was the main reason that they were no longer married.

If Draco felt uneasy about anything she said, he kept it to himself. Instead, he reached out and tucked a wayward curl behind her ear, showing a bit of affection for her which was rare. “I suppose that is true,”  he acknowledged. “I definitely have him to thank for that, which is part of the reason that I've decided to follow through with this insane time travel adventure you have me on.”

Hermione smiled gently at her ex-husband before reaching out and taking his hand in her own. She squeezed gently trying to come up with the right words to say. “You know, I really am thankful that you're here. You don't have to be, and each time we travel through time, I'm glad that I don't have to go alone.”

“It hasn't been easy,” Draco admitted, his hand still resting on her shoulder from when he set it there after tucking her hair behind her ear. “Each time you say you've got somewhere new to look, I ask myself whether or not I should just throw in the broom and make you go away.”

“Why don't you then? I wouldn't be surprised if you did. I couldn't blame you.” Hermione looked away, shame making her feel close to tears.

Without missing a beat, Draco carried on, “I don't make you go alone because I'm afraid of losing you again. I lost Theo to time, and I lost you once already too. If I lost you forever, that would be the end of me.”

Not quite knowing what to say to that, Hermione slowly turned her head until she was looking into his silver eyes once more. She wet her lips with the tip of her tongue, buying more time to come up with some sort of response. She shook her head as she swallowed thickly. Finally, she managed a reply, “Draco there's no way you could lose me forever. You and I may not have stayed together…” She paused glancing skyward briefly as she tried to reformat what she wanted to say. “What I mean is, I know I screwed up, badly, but I don't want you to think that I ever stopped caring about you.”

“Maybe after all this, we could...” Draco started, gently rubbing his thumb over her wrist while their hands were still clasped together. He trailed off, unable to finish what he was saying because they both knew what he wanted to say was the  _ wrong  _ thing to say.

He may not have finished his sentence, but his unspoken words had a great impact on Hermione. There was a lot a baggage between the two of them, that much was certain. Nevertheless, they still managed to work well together even after all this time. Reaching up with the hand he wasn't holding, she cupped his cheek and relished the way that he leaned into the caress. She wouldn't force him to speak the words that would make this entire situation unbearable for the both of them. 

“Draco I think that if our Theo were here, we would have found him by now. Besides, with two other versions of myself running around, it's probably a good time for us to go.” She frowned then, taking a glance around. “Actually, it's also a full moon, and if we're not careful to hurry back to the present, we could end up running into Lupin in his werewolf form.”

Exhaling through his nose, Draco just had to take a second to stare down at the crazy, beautiful witch in front of him. She was utterly insane now and back then too, it appeared. “Always running off on wild adventures, you are,” he joked, tugging her forward so he could wrap her in a hug. It also served to allow him to hook the Time-Turner back around the both of them. “Let's get back before you can get us into any more crazy situations tonight.”

Still holding hands, Hermione and Draco returned to the present. And while they still hadn’t found their Theo, they may just have found out a little bit more about themselves and the current status of their relationship. They would find Theo eventually, they were both certain of that. As long as they stuck together, everything would be fine.

 

 


	6. Part III: October 24, 2016 (cont.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song Recommendations: “Lost in Time” by Whitley, “Finding You” by The Go-Betweens  
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot is starting to move along now! I hope you like this. Please leave some feedback after you’re done reading. Huge thank you to starrnobella for beta reading! xxDustNight

Reappearing in the office, Hermione turned around to give Theo a reassuring smile after their discussion in the graveyard of the future. Only, Theo wasn’t there. “Theo?” She turned in a slow circle, examining the office in the hopes that he simply rematerialized in a different spot. Swallowing back uneasiness, Hermione tried again to call out to him again.

“Okay, Theo. That’s enough games. Where are you?”

When there was still no response, Hermione looked down at the Time-Turner she still held in her hand. Blinking in confusion, she startled. “Oh!” That’s when she noticed the chain was broken. Whirling about now, she found what she was looking for, but it wasn’t Theo. It was the golden chain that was supposed to bind them together through their time jump. “Oh, god no…” Hermione murmured as she dropped to her knees.

Picking up the fragile chain, Hermione closed her eyes as fear wracked her body. “Theo…where are you?” He could be anywhere—back in that graveyard, here at the ministry…or…lost. Lost in time. Fighting back terrified tears, Hermione slowly stood and stumbled towards his desk as she tried to reattach the Time-Turner. “You bloody idiot…I knew this was a bad idea.”

Before she could think further on the matter, the office door was flung open and in strolled Blaise Zabini. Quickly, Hermione hid the Time-Turner behind her back. Now would not be the time to answer questions regarding the little trinket. It was illegal, first of all; and second, Theo was obviously missing because of it.

“Oi, Theo!” Blaise shouted obnoxiously as he strode into the office as if it was his own. When he noticed Hermione standing awkwardly by the desk, a smile grew on his face. “Well, well, well. Look who we have here. Ms. _Hermione_ Granger.” He leaned on the doorjamb, his arms crossing as he quirked an eyebrow. “What are you doing in Theodore’s office _without_ Theodore?”

Rolling her eyes, and sighing heavily, Hermione tried to curb her anxiety for the moment. “I came to get some files from Theo,” she lied easily. “But, it looks like he’s gone to lunch early.” She glanced about as if actually looking for the files, carefully slipping the Time-Turner into the pocket of her robes when she knew Blaise wouldn’t see. “Here they are,” she said cheerfully, picking up a random folder and giving Theo’s best friend a bright smile.

“Huh,” Blaise said giving her a hard stare. “Theo was supposed to go to lunch with me, so why would he have gone ahead without telling me?”

“No clue.” Hermione tried not to panic, rushing to leave the office and return to her own so she could figure out what to do next. “He likes to skive off from time to time, as we both know. Are you really surprised?” She tried to brush past Blaise, but he grabbed her forearm.

“Look, Granger, Theo probably cares more about you than he ought to. I’m well aware of what happened between the two of you at that Ministry gala. If you hurt him like you did Draco, you’ll have to answer to me, got it?” Blaise’s eyes glared down at her in the dim light of the Department of Mysteries hallway.

Swallowing roughly, Hermione did everything she could not to crack under pressure. Had he just said Theo cared about her? Could that even be true? Even if it _was_ true, she had absolutely _no_ idea where the wizard in question even was. Pushing all that aside, Hermione narrowed her eyes at the Blaise. How dare he threaten her? Roughly, she pulled her arm free of his grasp.

“Zabini, if you’d like to keep your handsome face the way it is right this minute, then I would suggest keeping your hands to yourself from now on,” she stated smartly, giving him an innocent smile. “As what happens in my _personal_ life, that remains none of your business. Thank you very much.” Turning from his surprised look, she strode promptly down the hall, willing herself to keep her shoulders straight and an even pace.

She never looked back, afraid to arouse his suspicion any further. Arriving at her own office, she quickly opened it and hurried inside. Slamming the thing shut, she placed her back against it and let out the breath she’d been holding. “Bloody hell,” she whispered as she slid to the floor, curling her legs under herself as she finally let the tears fall from her eyes. “What am I going to do?” Quietly, Hermione fell to pieces, one hand clutching at her chest while the other slipped into her pocket to hold onto the Time-Turner. Theo was gone and she had no idea how to bring him home.

* * *

 

Hours later found Hermione pacing her office, still trying to figure out her next move. Her robes were thrown overtop her chair, and her hair was wild from the numerous times she’d raked her fingers through it in frustration. Everyone else in the department had left hours ago, leaving her to her own devices. Books and crumpled bits of parchment were strewn across every available surface in the small room. All of it useless, in her opinion.

Having scoured through every tome on time travel that the Department of Mysteries had access to, Hermione was at a loss. Nothing. She’d found _nothing_ that could help her figure out where Theo might have gone. Considering there was still no sign of him, Hermione could only assume that he really was lost in time. Her only hope was to attempt traveling to the exact moment _after_ they’d left and pray Theo was still there.

The downfall…

She had no idea if he would even be there. For all she knew, the chain could have broken mid-jump. If that was the case, Theo could be any place in his living time stream, past or future. She would have to travel forwards _and_ backwards multiple times in order to find him. Stopping her pacing, Hermione dropped her face to her hands and rubbed her weary eyes. “This could take years…” she practically sobbed, her voice cracking with fear and anguish.

Sniffling, she shook herself to regain her composure. There was no more time for tears, no more time for second guessing herself. This was just something she would have to do. Striding forward as she wiped at her damp cheeks, Hermione snatched the Time-Turner from her desk and placed it around her neck before reaching for her discarded robes. It wasn’t ideal, jumping through time so soon after doing it previously. A few of the books detailed horrible, deadly things that happened to people who messed with time.

Meddling with time was not an easy business. You could alter entire time streams with a single wrong movement. If you saw yourself, you could panic, accidentally killing yourself without a second thought. Hell, you could even make it so you’d never been born, successfully disappearing into the void. But the most frightening thing of all, Hermione had found, was a disease simply named ‘Time Sickness’. This only happened in the most extreme cases, but it was something Hermione desperately wanted to avoid at all costs. Having your internal organs both jumping forward and backward in time at the same time… Well, she didn’t want to think about what that might feel like.

Biting her lip, Hermione vowed that she wouldn’t overdo the time traveling. She’d jump forward, see if Theo was there, and then return quickly so as not to make any further mistakes with this ridiculously tempting Time-Turner. After that, she’d have to assess the situation as it happened… If she found Theo, all would be well. They could file the proper paperwork and hide it away for good. If not, she’d have to sit down and make some sort of plan for any further time jumps.

“Don’t worry, Theo,” Hermione muttered to herself as she began to twist the tiny hour glass on the Time-Turner. “I will find you and bring you home safely. I swear it.” And then, as the ticking started and a wind whipped around her, she disappeared in time for, hopefully, the last time.


	7. Time Jump #36: February 14, 2014

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time Jump #36: February 14, 2014  
> Song Recommendations: “Clocks” by Coldplay, “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls  
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feelings the feels for this one, loves. Dramione hardcore with a little sprinkle of Themione for you! As always, thank you to my lovely beta, starrnobella! You’re my rock in this. Please leave feedback when you’re finished reading! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed/commented, favorited/followed/bookmarked, or left kudos! xxDustNight

As soon as they appeared wherever they were, Hermione’s eyes went wide and she yanked Draco by his collar into the closest hiding place. Pulling the door of the broom closet nearly closed, she turned to face him in the semi-darkness. He was giving her an irritated look, his playful demeanor from moments ago clearly evaporated. Before he could protest, she slapped a hand over his mouth and hushed him, which earned her a scowl.

“We were almost seen!” She whispered, releasing her hold on his mouth and taking a small step backward so she could peer through the crack in the door. “What a disaster that would have been.”

Rolling his eyes, Draco grumbled, “It wouldn’t be the first time we risked being seen, Granger. Hell, you and Ada Nott seem to have some sort of weird time travel bond going on.”

“That’s different,” she snapped, whipping her head around so quickly her curls smacked him in the face. “I’m not quite sure how that happened anyway…”

“Nevertheless, it puts us at risk. What if she writes about us somewhere or tells someone what we’re doing? We could end up lost in time ourselves.” Draco elbowed Hermione, trying to vie for space to see out the door as well.

“She won’t do that. She knows what we’re up to now.” A sigh escaped Hermione’s lips as she clutched the Time-Turner in her hand. “She wants her son to live…”

Draco merely hummed in reply, squinting out into the bright room beyond. “Hey, I know where we’re at!” A smirk formed on his lips; he loved figuring out where in time they ended up before Hermione.

“Pft,” she huffed, giving him a side glance. “We’re in the Ministry cafeteria.”

“Oh,” Draco mumbled, the smile falling as quickly as it appeared. “Then what was the rush to get inside this dusty closet? We could easily have played off our presence like we did the last time we ended up here.”

“Not this time, Draco…” Hermione trailed off biting her lip. “Not with your past self sitting right out at that table reading over case files.”

“What!?” He exclaimed, practically pushing the door open in an effort to see what Hermione was talking about. “That _is_ me! Hey—how did you know we’re in the past?”

“The robes you’re wearing. I bought them for you for Christmas one year and you—” She stopped, chest aching knowing she was about to bring their comfortable companionship to an awkward halt. “You left them behind when we divorced.”

“Right.” Came Draco’s clipped response as he straightened up in the small space. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he heaved a sigh of his own. “Fuck. I think I know what day it is.” He didn’t sound as excited as he normally did upon figuring out when in time they’d traveled to. Today was a bad day. A dark day. One of the days that led to their separation, and later Hermione’s affair.

 “What day is this?” Upon hearing the pain in his voice, Hermione gave him a strange look as she asked her question. She almost didn’t want to know. They both had a past full of mistakes, but something about this particular day made Draco uneasy, and in turn, her as well.

“Valentine’s Day, 2014,” he answered simply before clenching his jaw and glancing away. He didn’t want to see the inevitable hurt that would show on Hermione’s face when she realized. Hands clenching into fists, he waited to hear her response. When it finally came, it was in the form of a gentle hand on his shoulder. Reluctantly, he returned his gaze to hers, surprised to find understanding reflected in her brown eyes.

“It’s alright, Draco,” she whispered reassuringly, removing her hand from his shoulder and tucking a curl behind her ear. She remembered this day vividly…a sort of tipping point in the downfall of their marriage.

“Let’s just go back,” he tried to reason with her, chest aching. “Our Theo wouldn’t come back to this day. I know he wouldn’t.” Reaching for Hermione’s hand where she held the Time-Turner, he was surprised to find his own trembling. Clenching it into a fist, he lowered it, eyes never leaving Hermione’s.

“You know that we can’t use the Time-Turner so quickly after arrival. It’ll make us sick, or worse, send us who knows where.” Giving him a sad smile, Hermione tried to figure out why he was so antsy to leave this day. It wasn’t like she didn’t know the outcome of it all. “We’ll just wait it out. Once your past self moves on from lunch, we can go back to present day and forget we ever came here.”

Draco nodded in reply, but it turned into a wince when he heard footsteps approaching his other self outside the door. Closing his eyes as if in pain, Draco held his breath as he waited for the scene to play out. He’d nearly forgotten about this day, but now it was going to bring all those hidden feelings bubbling to the surface once again. Knowing Hermione would be watching what was happening outside, Draco turned his back on her, raking his hands through his blond hair in frustration.

“Malfoy!” Called the voice of one Theodore Nott as he made his way towards where his friend was seated. Hermione, recognizing the voice at once, gave her Draco one final uncertain glance before peering out the door to see what was happening.

“Nott,” Draco replied casually, glancing up from the file he was reading and popping a crisp in his mouth at the same time. “What brings you up from the vaults?”

“I have a case you might be interested in,” Theo explained as he dropped into the chair across from Draco. Pulling a folder from the inside of his robes, he slid it across the table so Draco could see. “There’s been another disappearance, and I’m starting to think it has less to do with Veil portals and more to do with a rogue Death Eater Sympathizer. Care to have a look?” He gestured towards the folder before stealing one of Draco’s crisps.

Shooting his friend a halfhearted glare, Draco picked up the folder and began to leaf through the parchment inside. His eyes widened a bit at what he saw with every turn of a page. “I suppose this _could_ be more my area of expertise than yours, Nott. Only Muggleborns missing…how peculiar?”

“Didn’t you say, off the record of course, that there was a new uprising taking place?” Nott smirked at Draco’s sudden frown and the way he snapped the folder closed. “Thought so. Definitely more your department than mine. Now I can get back to avoiding the Veil room at all costs. The damn thing freaks me out.”

“I’ll take this to Potter after lunch,” Draco mumbled, tossing the folder back down and swiping the last of his crisps out of Theo’s reach. “What do you have planned this weekend? I suppose I’ll be knee deep in Death Eater shit searching for whoever is behind all this.” He waved his hand over the file in irritation.

“This weekend? Don’t you have plans with Granger?” Theo looked puzzled, his head tilting as he examined Draco thoroughly. Gone was the smirk and playful demeanor, replaced now with complete and utter confusion.

“Nothing aside from the usual dinner at her parents on Sunday.” Suddenly realizing his friend’s change in attitude, he added, “Why?”

Theo let out a harsh laugh that didn’t sound the least bit humorous. “It’s Valentine’s Day, mate. Don’t you two usually go away for the holiday? Romantic getaway for two?” Theo crossed his arms, one dark eyebrow quirking as he waited for his friend to answer. As the seconds ticked on, his frown deepened.

“I—I don’t have anything planned,” Draco admitted, peering down at all the files he was working on, along with the one Theo brought him. The holiday had totally escaped him, it seemed. Even Hermione hadn’t mentioned it; she was just as swamped at work as he was. “I have all these cases to close before the end of the month.”

“Wow,” Theo said with a whistle. He paused, clearly thinking and then shook himself slightly. “Look, forget I said anything about this case. I’ll bring it back to you on Monday and you can enjoy the weekend with your wife. It can sit a few days, I’m sure.” He made to reach for the folder, but Draco stopped him.

“No way, Nott. This is a dangerous situation that needs immediate action. You can’t expect me to just forget about it for a few days?” Draco was staring at his friend in shock, surprised that he would even suggest such a thing. At the same time, guilt made his stomach twist as he thought how he’d forgotten about planning something special for Hermione this weekend. “I have to do this.”

“I really think you should reconsider,” Theo said with a bit of an edge to his voice. “You and Hermione clearly need some alone time together.”

It irked Draco, but he held back the insult on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he took a couple deep breaths before addressing his friend. “My relationship with Hermione is none of your damn business, Nott.”

“I know things have been rough lately—you told me so yourself, just last month at Weasley’s stag party. I think it would be best if you scrapped your work for the weekend and took your wife out someplace nice. Just the two of you with no distractions.” It was risky, being so forward with Draco, but he obviously didn’t care at this point. Theo stood from the table and stared down at his best friend. Before leaving, he added, “Show your wife just how much you cherish her; because if you don’t, someone else will.” Sighing, Theo ran a hand through his dark hair and then turned and left Draco alone at the table.

Inside the closet, Draco mentally urged his past self to take his friend’s advice. Unfortunately, he knew what would happen next. He would get up from that table and take all his work back upstairs to his office where he would shut himself away for the weekend. Alone. Sure, he sent Hermione a bouquet of something. He had his secretary take care of it, but it wasn’t what Hermione wanted or needed. That much was made evident when he returned home Sunday afternoon and found their flat empty. She’d gone on to her parents without him…and stayed for a week.

Draco took a shuddering breath, finally turning around to find Hermione no longer watching the door. Her eyes were trained on him, and they were laced with unshed tears. There were so many things he wanted to say to her in that moment, but he didn’t know how. They’d fought out this mistake years before, so there was no use doing it again. They both knew that. Nevertheless, Draco had to say something. He couldn’t take leaving this moment and never looking back without making some sort of amends with her. He’d fucked up, and now he had to make it right. Their marriage ended messily, but it wasn’t just Hermione’s fault. It was his too.

“Listen to me, Hermione,” Draco whispered, voice laden with emotion as he took hold of both her shoulders so she couldn’t look away. “I made a mistake that day—I knew it then, and I know it even more so now. I want you to know who I really am. _This_ is me.” He pounded on his chest with both hands. “Not that guy out there. Not anymore. I don’t know _who_ that was. Some idiot who worried too much about what his father expected of him, or making sure he remained top dragon in the MLE department.” Clenching his eyes shut for a moment, he swallowed heavily before slowly revealing shining silver eyes to her. “I’d give up everything to change this day. Do you hear me? I miss you every day, Hermione. Everything is broken…but not how I feel about you.”

Hermione bit her lip, having nothing to say. It hurt just as much as it did in 2014, knowing Draco chose his work over her. Closing her eyes, Hermione felt the tears slide down her cheeks, unable to stem the flow. Knowing there was nothing to be said or done, she peered up at Draco through damp lashes. Now was not the time for revelations—Theo was still lost. She knew more about Theo now, more than ever before, and it was really clouding her brain. _How_ could she feel so wrecked over Draco and yet want to find and thank Theo for caring for her even before she knew he cared at all? It was a mess. _Everything_ was a mess.

Untangling the Time-Turner chain, she shakily wrapped it around both of their necks, carefully avoiding Draco’s gaze as she did so. “Let’s—let’s just go back, okay?” When he nodded in response, face falling entirely, she twisted the hourglass. They disappeared in a blur of wind and time, further apart than they’d been half an hour before. Some things were best left in the past. This was one of them. 


	8. Part IV: October 27, 2016

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song Recommendations: “Hello” by Adele and “I Wanna Be (500 Miles)” by Sleeping at Last  
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! The Muse has been kind and gifted you all with this extra-long Dramione-centric chapter! I do hope you love it. Thanks for all the love for the last chapter! In addition, this fic has been nominated for the *Time Lord Award: Best Time-Travel fic* over at the Enchanted Awards, hosted by GES! I’d love it if you would take a few minutes to go and vote. There are some other great categories to vote for as well. Actually, I was lucky enough to be nominated for a few categories! Thank you in advance if you take the time to vote!
> 
> *When Worlds Collide: Best Crossover*  
> -Nights in Diagon Alley  
> -Wolves without Teeth
> 
> *Time Lord Award: Best Time-Travel*  
> -Partners in Time
> 
> *All the Feels: Best Angst*  
> -Teardrops & Teacups
> 
> Vote Here: [Enchanted Awards Semi-Finals](https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3wiwGvGfgYMRV94REhVTmp5bnM)
> 
> Finally, a HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you to my lovely beta starrnobella for helping me as always! xxDustNight

The lift rattled as it ascended, almost as if it too was uncertain about her destination. Truth be told, Hermione hadn't stepped foot on the MLE and Auror floor since being transferred to the Department of Mysteries after her divorce. Biting her lip nervously, Hermione held her breath the closer she got to her old department. She wouldn't be doing this unless absolutely necessary, but she was desperate. Who else could she turn to in a situation like this? There was Harry, of course, but he would want to go straight to the Minister. That was strictly out of the question at this point.

Jerking to a stop, Hermione braced herself before the lift doors opened, revealing a familiar sight. Interdepartmental memos flew through the air while workers wandered through the rows of cubicles. It smelled the same—ink, burnt parchment, and coffee. Inhaling deeply, Hermione tried to calm herself with the scents permeating the air as she stepped out of the lift and squared her shoulders. Ignoring the people around her, she made straight for the end of the hall where she knew the Head of MLE office was located.

As she passed by the coffee and tea cart, she noticed Harry sipping on a mug of his favorite brew. His forehead creased in confusion when he saw her, the mouthful of coffee he held dribbling down his chin in shock. When he made to move toward her, Hermione shook her head once to indicate she wanted to be left alone. If he spoke to her, even a single syllable, she would lose her resolve and retreat. She had no choice, though—it was time to either face her skeletons or risk losing Theo forever.

Stopping in front of the closed door, Hermione inhaled deeply and counted to ten before raising her fist. She stood there stupidly for a moment before exhaling and forcing herself to rap her knuckles against the worn oak door. The sound echoed in her ears, the entire hall having gone quiet upon realizing what was happening. Heart beating rapidly, she waited for a response from within. In the end, the Ministry didn't explode… There was simply a call of 'It's open' from inside the office. Now she had to make a choice: Go inside and ask the wizard she'd actively avoided for two years to help her find Theo or turn and leave without a second glance.

Much to her surprise, she found herself choosing the former and opening the door. Sliding into the office quickly, she shut the door and used a wandless spell to place a silencing charm. She knew everyone on the damn floor was currently crowding outside in an attempt to overhear what was bound to be the conversation of the year. Leaning against the door for support, Hermione could only imagine the inane office gossip that would be whispered after her for weeks to come. It was a small price to pay for a shot at finding Theo, wherever he may be.

Oddly enough, the occupant of the office hadn't noticed who was standing before him just yet. His wand was tucked behind his ear and he held a quill between his teeth as he rifled through a filing cabinet to the left of his cluttered desk. Hermione bit back a small smile as his blond hair tumbled into his face and he angrily raked a hand through the tresses to push it back into place. Even after all this time, he still appeared  _mostly_  the same. Maybe there were a few more wrinkles around his eyes, and just a tinge of grey at the temples, Merlin forbid.

Hermione smiled wistfully at her ex-husband, placing a hand over her frantically beating heart. She couldn't believe she was  _here_ , in his office. Sure, she'd spotted him at Ministry meetings and functions, as well as the occasional holiday party hosted by their friends. However, she'd never once approached him since signing the final divorce papers. This was the closest she'd been to him since saying goodbye. Pushing away from the door, she tried to make herself presentable, suddenly feeling the silly notion that she wanted to look nice for their first encounter in nearly two years.

Grumbling, Draco Malfoy finally straightened having found the file he was searching for only to spot her standing there. His mouth went slack in shock, the quill dropping into his lap as he stared at her in disbelief. A thousand emotions erupted behind his grey eyes before he finally settled on indifference, but she knew him better than that. He was holding back how he was really feeling; she could tell by the slight twitch of his jaw as he clenched his teeth. It was her turn to be quietly observed now, and she allowed it to happen, knowing he needed a moment to collect his thoughts with her sudden reappearance in his life.

Ignoring his lost quill, Draco plopped the file onto his desk, his gaze never wavering as he continued to scrutinize her. She felt exposed standing so awkwardly by the door so she moved closer, hand reaching out to grip the top of the chair across from his desk. When he continued to do nothing but stare at her, Hermione let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and broke the strained silence.

"Hello, Draco."

His eyes raked over her as if looking for changes, or for an indication that maybe she was just some sort of mirage induced by overwork. She allowed the scrutiny, trying to come to terms with the fact this was really happening. She really was here in her ex-husband's office, fully prepared to ask him to help her find the man she had an affair with. It was insanity. It was necessary. After some time, it seemed Draco found his voice as he cleared his throat loudly and met her nervous stare with one full of trepidation.

"Granger. What are you doing here?" He quirked a pale blond eyebrow, his face betraying nothing of the inner turmoil he was obviously masking. He removed his wand from behind his ear and tucked it back inside his robes, but it was too late. She'd seen a flash of the old, easy-going Draco, the one she'd fallen in love with all those years ago.

"I've come to ask you to help me…on a case." She bit her lip as his brow furrowed, clearly already dismissing the idea. "It's top-secret. I shouldn't even be here, really, but you're the only one I could think of that would understand and might be willing to help." She paused, wanting to see what he would say. In all honesty, she knew she sounded desperate, even without going into the details just yet.

"What sort of case? I've got about a million of my  _own_  cases to worry about here in the MLE Department, not the mention the three or so others that Potter has been hounding me to take a look at." Draco tapped the tips of his fingers against the desktop, the sound making her anxious. "Besides, isn't it frowned upon to share information from the Department of Mysteries with the rest of us?"

"I'm not an Unspeakable, Draco. I—I can share this case because it was a creation of my own." She knew she looked guilty and when his eyes widened the tiniest fraction, she knew he knew exactly how she was feeling.

"We haven't spoken in years, Granger. What makes you think I'm just going to drop what I'm doing and help  _you_ , of all people, with a case?" Reclining in his chair, he waited for her response with his usual arrogance and she was suddenly brought back to their old days of working as partners in the MLE.

With a sigh, Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose before meeting his gaze again. "I have no right to be here right now, asking you for help. I get that; I really do, but I messed up and I need your expertise." When she realized what she'd said, she grimaced. She hadn't meant to reveal her mistake in the situation—not yet, at least.

"You? You made a mistake?" He seemed flabbergasted, more so suddenly interested in what she had to say. Chuckling, probably a bit more than he ought to in this situation, he leaned forward and gave her his full attention. "Alright, Granger. I'll bite. What did you do?"

"I lost Theo."

It's all she could manage, and by the look of amusement on Draco's face, it sounded just as ridiculous to him as it did to her. Obviously, she'd left out the specifics, but she needed to gauge his reaction before revealing the entirety of the situation. Wrapping her arms around her midsection, Hermione prepared herself for what was bound to become an increasingly uncomfortable conversation.

"You lost Theo?" Full out laughing now, Draco shook his head as he questioned her further. "You lost Theo... Where? In Diagon Alley? Have you lost your mind?" He was making fun of her, she knew that, but she pursed her lips and shook her head wiping the smirk from his face.

"No, it's not like that." She tried to explain, "He's gone and I am not sure where—"

"Alright, Granger. Enough with the games," he ground out, standing from his chair. He placed his palms flat on the surface of the desk and leaned forward, leveling his eyes with her own. "You come to me, your  _ex-husband_ , wanting help with some insipid case to locate the man you had an affair with but don't give me any information to go off of? You really  _have_  lost your mind." Hanging his head, Draco sighed heavily before lifting it once again to smirk at her, eyes narrowed. "Now, I will ask you once more: Where have you lost Theo?"

"In time."

Silence filled the small office, the heaviness of it creeping into Hermione's chest and making her feel like she would crumble under the weight of it all. Draco wasn't saying anything, he merely blinked at her as he processed the words she'd just spoken aloud. Words she hadn't even wanted to think, let alone say to another person. They were true, though. She hadn't found Theo back at the graveyard…and she was too afraid to search anywhere else on her own lest she stumble upon some treacherous Pureblood household of the past where she could be killed.

"When you say 'in time' you mean to say that Theo," Draco paused as if he didn't quite believe what he was asking, but he carried on anyway. "Are you telling me that Theo is lost in time, that you have no idea where he's gone?"

"Yes," she answered honestly, holding herself tighter as Draco began to look angry. She knew what he would ask next, and she was fully prepared to tell the truth, no matter how incriminating it was. Releasing the grip she had on her frame, she tucked a hand into her pocket, fingers brushing against the cool metal of the trinket that started this entire ordeal.

"How, Granger?  _How_  the bloody hell did Theo get lost in time?" He'd come around to the front of the desk, as if being closer to her would make the situation easier to understand. "I want the truth."

Pulling the repaired Time-Turner from her pocket, she held it up so he could see clearly. "With this. Theo found it in with his father's old belongings… He—he talked me into testing it out, but the chain broke on the return journey and now I can't find him. I thought you might be able to help."

A myriad of emotions flickered across Draco's face before he returned to stony indifference, closing himself off to her once more. " _Me_? Help? How can I help you find Theo?" He scoffed, backing away from her as she returned the Time-Turner to her pocket and out of sight. "He and I haven't spoken since… We haven't spoken in years either, as you well know."

"I'm aware," Hermione mumbled quietly, briefly looking away as guilt of an entirely different kind nagging at her now. "But the two of you used to be friends. You would know where to look, where he could be hiding." She sighed reaching out to place a hand on his forearm as she would have done in the past, but she caught herself at the last second. Letting her arm drop, she asked again, "Please, will you help me find him?

He seemed to think on it for a moment, and she was almost certain he was going to agree but a flash of anger went across his features. Striding towards the door, he spoke without looking her in the eye. "I have no idea what you and Theo have managed to get mixed up in down there in the Department of Mysteries, but I have no desire to be a part of it." Draco reached for the handle and tugged the door open, gesturing for Hermione to leave. "Have a good afternoon, Granger."

Panicking, Hermione had no idea how to change Draco's mind. She'd fucked up, literally, by having an affair with Theo, but this was bigger than that. This was someone's life.  _Theo's_  life. She couldn't risk losing him—he had friends, a job, a  _life_. Granted, he had no family left now that his father was gone, but Blaise was like family…and Draco used to be too. Somewhere deep down in his heart, he had to still feel that way.

"Draco, wait—"

"Granger, I really don't want to hear anything further from you. You had your chance to make amends and you chose to leave." Dropping his hold on the door handle, Draco crossed his arms and glared down into Hermione's wide, brown eyes. "I wanted to fight for you, but you gave up. If Theo  _truly_  has disappeared, and you are the reason behind it, maybe this time you'll be able to fix it on your own."

Hurt radiated through Hermione, her emotions finally getting the best of her. His words were like a slap to the face, but he had a point. She hadn't fought for him like he fought for her. She'd been unable to look him in the face day after day and not think about what she'd done so she'd left. She had left Draco, filed divorce papers, and asked for a transfer to a new department. If only she'd been specific about which one. In a cruel twist of fate, somehow she'd landed in the one other department she'd hoped to avoid. The situation was far from ideal. In fact, it was downright fucked up, in her opinion. This was more than that though, and so she tried one last time to plead for her case.

"I wouldn't be here if there was anyone else to turn to," she whispered, eyes damp with unshed tears. "You know that, but—" She faltered, Draco's intense, stone-grey eyes nearly breaking through her resolve. She persisted, though, her heart aching knowing she was hurting the wizard she used to love so resolutely. She felt the first tear break free, sliding hatefully down her cheek as she stepped towards him, hands held out in a silent plea. "I need  _you_ , Draco. I can't find Theo without your help. You're the only one who knows him well enough to find where he could have disappeared to."

Frowning, Draco said nothing as he stewed over her plea. It felt like an eternity before she saw the first sign that he may be cracking. Hermione refused to get her hopes up, however, as she knew how flippant he could be when provoked or irritated. In the end, Draco let out a long, self-suffering sigh before scrubbing his face with both hands. She bit back a grin, knowing he was about to admit he wanted to help, that even though they had a lot of issues between the three of them, he still wanted to find his friend and bring him home safely.

"Listen," he began, pointing a finger at her with narrowed eyes. "I need to sleep on this because we both know this is a fucked up situation. I'm not saying now, but I will say that I may be able to help you with this. Can you give me until tomorrow afternoon to think things over?" Opening the door wider, he raised both eyebrows when she made to move to leave or comment. "Well?"

It was hard to speak, as choked up with tears as she was, but Hermione managed a small shake of her head. "Of course," she responded, wiping frantically at her eyes as Draco watched on. "Just send me a memo when you've decided either way."

"Sure, Granger."

She left then, not wanting to test her luck. Without looking back, Hermione rushed down the hall towards the lift. When she was safely sealed inside, she sank to the floor, not caring that someone else might get on board. Letting the tears flow freely, Hermione allowed her emotions free reign. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought that first meeting would go the way it did. She and Draco's past was riddled with so much pain and anger it was a miracle he hadn't thrown her out of the office to begin with.

As the lift slowed, nearing her floor, Hermione wiped at her face and pulled herself to stand. She had plans to make now because she knew Draco was far kinder than he let on. He would help her, she just knew he would. Exiting the lift, Hermione headed towards her office, stomach in knots and her cheeks raw from crying, but she felt better than she had for days since she lost Theo in time. Now, she just had to wait for a message from her ex-husband.

Before she could sit down behind her desk, there was a commotion in the doorway that drew her attention. Glancing at the entrance she was surprised to find Draco standing there, chest heaving as if he'd run down ten flights of stairs. With a start Hermione realized he probably had since she'd been on the lift.

"I want to help," he said in a rush as he moved fully into her office. "When," he huffed, "When can we go?"

Smiling brightly, she pulled the Time-Turner out of her robes and clutched it tightly. Hope erupted in her chest at the thought of Draco willingly wanting to help her. Maybe things were different… Maybe he could forgive her for what she'd done. "Now," she breathed, "We can go right now." When Draco nodded, she threw the chain around her neck and stepped closer to him. Indicating she had to put it around him too, she tipped her head in question. He nodded his approval, allowing her to do so.

"This doesn't change anything between us," he warned as she made to twist the hourglass. "I'll help you find Theo and then you leave me alone again. Forever."

"I understand," she answered, eyes shutting as her heart clenched. She should have known better than to have hope for a future as friends. Not letting it get to her right now, Hermione twisted the hourglass and sent them hurtling into the future, a future where she hoped to find Theo and repair the fissure that still plagued her and Draco. There was no reason to worry now, Draco was by her side and he would help her fix this disaster before it got any worse.


	9. Time Jump #18: March 17, 2023

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time Jump #18: March 17, 2023  
> Song Recommendations: “Whiskey and You” by Chris Stapleton and “There Will Be Time” by Mumford & Sons and Baaba Maal  
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So after a day of procrastination, here is the update! I hope you enjoy it. As always, thank you to starrnobella for beta reading. I can’t wait to see what you all think! xxDustNight

_Time Jump #18: March 17, 2023_

"I know this place," Draco whispered from behind a wall on the rooftop where they'd appeared. Glancing around, he nodded as if to reaffirm this notion. "We're on the roof of Dean and Seamus's flat complex. Do you remember that one Halloween when we came up here and you let me shag you over the ledge?"

" _Draco!_ " Hermione scolded, smacking his arm, probably a bit more forcefully than was necessary. He started snickering, so she fixed him with a scowl before wrapping her arms around herself. One of these days she'd learn to bring a proper cloak with her in case they ended up when it was cold. "This is  _not_  the time to discuss our sex life."

"I don't think there's ever an appropriate time to discuss it, to be honest." Lifting the chain from around his neck, he allowed Hermione to tuck the Time-Turner away while he continued to examine their surroundings. "I think we're in the past," he said crossing his arms. Hermione narrowed her eyes as a mischievous grin grew on his lips. "Any chance it's the night we—"

"Finish that sentence and I will hit you again, Draco Malfoy," Hermione hissed with narrowed eyes. "And no, I don't think it's the same night. Theo wasn't there, remember. He was away in Egypt." She took out her notebook and began rifling through the pages, skimming old notations before stopping on an empty page.

"How do you remember these little details?" Draco asked, scratching the back of his head as he watched her make notes. He frowned when she shot him an annoyed look.

"Photographic memory…" She muttered, obviously distracted as she scribbled away. "There's only two legitimate times we would find ourselves at Dean and Seamus's. It's either Halloween or St. Patrick's Day. With the weather the way it is, my guess is the latter. What do you think?"

"You're probably right," Draco conceded, suppressing a shudder as the wind picked up. "Should we risk going downstairs to find out?"

Hermione was just about to suggest they cast glamour charms on themselves if they planned on doing that when there was a scuffle from the other side of the wall and someone called out to them. "Hello?" Draco and Hermione froze, eyes going wide at the same time their mouths snapped shut. Draco held a finger up to his lips and Hermione nodded in understanding. Maybe if they stayed quiet enough, whoever it was wouldn't come and look for them.

Unfortunately, luck was not on their side tonight. Hermione winced as a few footsteps were heard coming towards their location, and she bit her lip knowing they were about to be caught. "Who's up here?" The voice asked again, and this time, Hermione's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"That's Theo," she mouthed to Draco, who rubbed a hand over his face. They were most definitely out of luck, so Hermione did the only thing she could think of. She threw caution to the wind, grabbing hold of Draco's shoulders and pushing him as far into the shadows as possible before slipping around the hidden wall. She saw Draco try and stop her out of the corner of her eye, but there was nothing else to be done. It was safer for only one of them to be revealed instead of both.

"It's just me," she said nervously, rubbing a hand through her curls as she showed herself to the future version of her partner. "I didn't mean to sneak up on you." She was lying, of course, but she hoped he believed her.

His face fell as he took in the sight of her. Dark eyes regarded her for a moment before he lifted a glass of what appeared to be Firewhiskey to his lips. "It's fine, Hermione," he mumbled, turning away from her to look out over the city. "I didn't think anyone followed me."

"I, um, was worried." She bit her lip, watching as his shoulders sagged. She was suddenly acutely aware that something was bothering Theo. When he didn't immediately respond, she moved to stand next to him, placing her hands on the ledge and gripping tightly. Her fear of heights still bothered her despite what she and Draco had done here in the past… Shaking the memory from her mind, she asked, "Are you alright?"

"Fine," he replied in a clipped tone, his jaw clenched in apparent restraint. "I just needed a few minutes alone."

"Oh," Hermione replied, suddenly feeling rather awkward. "I can just leave then…"

Theo sighed, setting his tumbler down before running a hand through his longish hair. Finally, he turned to face her, his eyes sad in the semi-darkness. "No, it's alright. You can stay… I just thought you'd want some space yourself right now too, so I came up here."

"Me?" She questioned, biting her lip for a second in thought. She needed to play this very carefully; after all, she was technically not supposed to be here. "Why would I want some space?"

"Come off it, Hermione," he scoffed, giving her a roguish smile. "We're in a fight right now. Don't play coy with me." He playfully pushed at her shoulder, sending her slightly off balance in the process. When she started to tumble, he grabbed for her arms and pulled her close. "Whoa!"

Hermione crashed into his body, her hands instinctively gripping for his shoulders so she wouldn't stray towards the edge of the roof. "Theo!" She cried out as her body slammed into his, the momentum making them stumble and then fall to the ground.

She landed on top of Theo on the floor of the roof, eyes clenched shut and gripping him for dear life. Both were breathing heavily, and Hermione was certain she was probably squishing the future Theo. As she made an attempt to roll off of him, Hermione found a hand gently moving her tangled curls from her face so she could be seen.

"I'm sorry," Theo apologized, his thumb brushing back and forth across her cheek as he stared intently into her eyes. It was unsettling, to say the least, and Hermione found her heart beating dramatically behind her ribcage.

"It's okay," she stuttered breathily. "No harm done, right?"

He released his hold on her face, allowing her to finally roll off of him and into a crouch. She helped him to sit up next, extending her hand and trying to ignore the way his hand felt like it fit perfectly with her own. Giving her a small smile, he laughed as he gestured to the both of them.

"I guess it's my own fault for getting totally pissed and trying to be cute."

"You  _are_  cute," she mumbled, feeling her cheeks flame at her admission. Theo began laughing harder then, using both his hands to get the hair out of his face. "Don't you laugh at me, Theodore. You've obviously had far too much to drink to be wandering about on the roof alone this late at night."

"You're probably right about that, love," he countered before plopping onto his bottom and sitting against the wall. He tipped his head backward, eyes closing as he relaxed. "It's a good thing you came to find me…"

"Remind me again why we were fighting?" Hermione asked the question as she giggled, righting herself properly so she could sit with her back against the wall also. When Theo didn't reply, the silence becoming somewhat awkward as his own laughter faded away, she turned her head to find a solemn look on his face.

"I thought you didn't want to talk about it?" He didn't bother opening his eyes as he spoke, and Hermione couldn't help but frown at the anguished way he sounded. Whatever they'd been fighting about had to be significant.

"I changed my mind," she pressed, biting her lip and wondering if she was tempting fate by prodding too much. Then again, this was the future, a future that hadn't happened yet. Who was to say that this particular timeline would even come to pass?

"You seem to do that a lot," he teased, a bit of his normal self shining through the melancholy. Sighing, he finally opened his eyes and met her stare. "I wish you'd change your mind about having a baby, though."

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed quietly, suddenly understanding why Theo was upset. Obviously, he wanted to try and have children and she, well, didn't. It was a topic that she'd discussed with Draco in the past, and they'd agreed they didn't want them. Or rather, their career pursuits had hindered their time, making it difficult to have children. Granted, that was more Draco's opinion than her own, but she'd gone along with it. She supposed whatever timeline this was, she'd kept that mindset.

"Yeah," he mumbled, rubbing at his face. Reaching out, he took her hand, his thumb rubbing gently across her knuckles. "We've been married for a few years now, and I know you and Draco never wanted children, but I wish you'd reconsidering having at least one with me."

"Theo I…" Fumbling, Hermione tried to figure out what to say. She had no right, really, agreeing or disagreeing with her alternate version, who was probably just floors below. Before she could come up with something to say, Theo stopped her.

"I love you, Hermione, and I hate fighting with you. However, I can't keep fighting with you about this." He paused, his hand still gripping hers tightly. He seemed hesitant to continue, but somehow found the words. "I'm not…" He exhaled harshly. "I'm not Draco. I'm not going to choose my job over you, ever. Please...just tell me you'll at least think about it?"

Immediately, Hermione's mind began to race. She hated thinking about the end of her marriage with Draco, but obviously it was still very much relevant. Her eyes darted towards where Draco was currently hidden and hoped he couldn't hear their conversation. This new partnership they had going on was still fairly fragile. There were times when she wondered just how long he would continue to search for their Theo before growing too angry, frustrated, or tired with her. After all, she'd had an affair with Theo and then chosen to leave despite knowing Draco wanted to try and work things out.

It didn't matter that that their marriage was in a downward spiral; she'd still blown the entire thing to pieces by choosing to follow Theo into that closet to begin with. Looking back to Theo, she realized he was waiting for her to say something, so she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Okay, I'll think about it…" She trailed off, watching as hope blossomed on his face. "With one condition."

He reached out to cup her cheek before speaking. "Of course… Anything."

"Repeat all of this tomorrow when you're sober? Just say it exactly like you did, alright?" She didn't want to screw this timeline up, but if she said one thing and her future self said another, there would be complications. "And don't mention it until then too. So, um, so we can enjoy the rest of the evening."

"That's probably for the best. I lost track of how many shots I did an hour ago." He smiled when Hermione laughed, and she suddenly felt a whole lot better about the situation. Letting go of her cheek, Theo pushed himself to his feet and shook his head slightly. "I think the cold is sobering me up a bit, anyway. Want to head back downstairs and do a few more shots?"

Hermione couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up at that. She carefully stood, using the wall to brace herself. "Sure," she started, "Why not?" In reality, she was about to find an excuse to linger so that she could disappear with Draco while Theo went and found the real Hermione for this timestream, but he didn't know that.

Guiltily looking towards the wall, Hermione was about to make her excuses when Theo closed the distance between them with a single step. Hermione held her breath as she looked up into his startling eyes. She was fairly certain that her heart was about to beat itself right out of her chest. Nervous butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and as Theo's hand came up to card through her curls, she felt them explode. Opening her mouth to speak, Theo took the opportunity to show her how he felt.

He kissed her soundly, his tongue tentatively seeking entrance to her mouth. Without thinking, she allowed him to deepen the kiss, her own hands coming up to tangle in his hair. He moaned into her mouth, his body backing her against the wall and holding her there while he continued the kiss. It was like she was back in that closet in the Ministry all over again, remembering the way he made her feel so alive. Kissing him back with fervour, all thoughts of Draco flew from her mind.

All there was was Theo. Theo and the way he was making her feel right now. Knowing that she could end up with Theo in the end made things not seem so dark. She just had to find him, the  _real_  him, and bring him back to present time. As this Theo broke away from her mouth to trail hot kisses down her neck, she vowed that as soon as she found him, wherever he may be, she would tell him that she still thought about that night…

"I love you so fucking much, Hermione…" Theo growled into the crook of her neck, nipping the sensitive flesh there. She whimpered, her knees going weak as desire pooled low in her stomach. She wanted to badly to give into what her body was telling her to do, but she knew now was not the time. Theo continued whispering sweet nothings to her, his hands moving to slide under the bottom of her shirt. "So much…"

"Theo…" Hermione tried and then gasped as his hand found and cupped her breast. "Theo, as much as I want to continue this, I don't think this is the right place…" She hoped it was enough to deter him, and also that Draco never bragged to him about the time she and him indulged in such pleasures on this very rooftop.

Sighing, Theo's hand slowly removed itself from her body. Then, he was back to staring into her face, a shit-eating grin on his kiss-swollen lips. "Afraid one of your friends might stumble upon us?"

"No…" She worried her lip, doing everything in her power not to check and see if Draco was glaring at her from around the wall. "I'd much rather not catch a cold. What do you say we head back downstairs and have those shots like you wanted and then we can go home and spend the rest of the night in bed?" When his smile widened, she knew she had him.

"Okay, but only if you wear the little blue lingerie I like so much."

"No green?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow at him and thoroughly enjoying the question in his eyes. "It is St. Patrick's Day, after all."

"I like the way you think, witch," Theo teased before stealing one last kiss. When he parted, Hermione couldn't help the sigh of disappointment that left her. "What's wrong?"

"I think I need just a minute to myself. Do you mind if I stay up here for just a few minutes longer before I meet you downstairs?" She needed to get him to leave her, and she really did need to clear her head. Enjoying Theo's kisses and touches was definitely not on the agenda tonight. Draco was bound to be furious with her at this point.

"Sure, love," he replied before backing away and grabbing for his discarded tumbler. "I'll see you in a few." He headed for the door on the other side of the roof, throwing her one more lustful glance before disappearing through it to rejoin the party.

As all the breath rushed from her body in relief, Hermione had to do everything in her power not to have her knees buckle. That could have gone horribly wrong, but she'd been lucky. Hell, for all she knew, the other Hermione was downstairs right now totally confused about why Theo was asking her to do shots when they were meant to be fighting. What a right mess this was...

"That was far more awkward than I thought it would be," a voice drawled from next to her. Face scrunched up in embarrassment, Hermione looked to Draco with an apology already forming on her lips. He held up a hand to stop her, though. "Save it," he told her. "You did what you had to to save both our arses. Let's get out of here before he comes looking for you, or worse, your future self decides to investigate what the hell he is obviously going to allude to."

Swallowing, Hermione averted her eyes as she retrieved the Time-Turner from the insides of her robes. "How much did you hear," she asked as she looped the chain around their necks.

"All of it," he admitted, watching as she hesitated. "I didn't realize how badly you wanted children… Maybe it would have changed things between us."

"No," she said in a rush, head snapping up so she could look at him. Honestly, she told him, "I loved you Draco, and that was enough. We both agreed that children weren't a priority and that's how I still feel." Shrugging, she thought about what Theo had said before she carried on. "Maybe in the future I can change, but it seems that may not be the case."

"How do you feel now, after talking to Theo?"

"Honestly? I don't know…"

And it was true. She didn't know. There were so many ways the timestream could play out. She could end up with Theo, or maybe he was never found. Maybe she would want children with him if they got married, or maybe she wouldn't. These were all things to think about, and certainly not meant to be discussed with her ex-husband right now.

"Ready?" She asked him, cutting off her train of thought before she gave herself a headache.

"As I'll ever be," Draco responded, taking hold of her shoulders so they wouldn't tumble around too much upon arrival back in 2017.

When she met his steely gaze, she was surprised to find understanding reflected there. It made the entire situation slightly less uncomfortable, at least for now. With a nod, she turned the hourglass and sent them home, thoughts of babies and a future with Theo safely tucked in the back of her mind.


	10. Part V: November 8, 2016

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song Recommendations: "Loose Ends" by Imogen Heap and "Stand by Me" by Denmark + Winter
> 
>  
> 
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I want to thank all of you that continued to leave lovely feedback on this story even as the months ticked on by without an update. Some of the things you had to say just always brightened my day no matter what was happening in my life. And some of the theories about the story… You loves are so brilliant and fun. I should tell you, I had no plans of updating this story until my Wolves without Teeth series was entirely finished. However, I was listening to Pandora and "Worst in Me" by Julia Michaels came on. It doesn't fit this chapter but it totally got me in the mood to write this story again. I can't promise another update as I have two fest pieces and a half-finished chapter of Empire to complete, but I'm going to try! I'm going to still consider this my "hiatus" fic just in case I can't get to it again for a while. I'm just thankful you all stuck by me! And if you are new, welcome! I hope you enjoy what little there is so far of this topsy, turvy tale!
> 
> I'd like to also thank starrnobella for reading this over and pushing me to write it. Oh, and for always bringing it up so I never forgot it existed! I'd also like to thank GaeilgeRua for catching all my horrid comma errors and replacing boring words with much prettier ones! Much love, xxDustNight
> 
> Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to J.K. Rowling. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.

Pacing in her office, Hermione worried her lip as she pondered what precisely this impromptu meeting with Blaise entailed. She'd received the letter early this morning requesting a meeting before lunch, but it hadn't said what it was about. Pausing as footsteps sounded in the corridor, Hermione had a hunch that it pertained to Theo and his sudden disappearance. She would have to figure out a story to relay to the missing wizard's best friend, and quick.

As she was in mid-panic, there was a knock on the open door. Squeaking with fear, she whirled around only to find Draco standing there instead of Blaise. Holding a hand over her rapidly beating heart, she hissed, "You can't just sneak up on a witch. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Merlin, Granger," Draco drawled, taking in her frazzled appearance. "What has you so jumpy?"

"It's Blaise," she explained, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth and sitting on the edge of her desk. "He's asked to meet with me, and I suspect it's about Theo."

"You mean how he's been missing for two weeks?" Draco blurted, crossing his arms and giving Hermione his very best 'you know I'm right' look.

"Shhhhh!" Hermione hissed again and rushed forward to smother Draco's mouth with her hands so he couldn't blab anymore. "Do you want someone to overhear?"

Draco glared down at Hermione as he deftly removed her hands from his mouth. "Really, Granger? You're worried about someone overhearing us yet you're in here popping in and out of time with the door wide-fucking-open?" He dropped her hands and then gestured at the door which she did quite often leave open.

Groaning, she ran both hands through her hair and tried to get herself under control. "Not helpful," she told Draco. Pausing, she narrowed her eyes as she took in Draco's presence. "What are you doing here, anyway? We didn't have any plans to time jump today."

Rolling his eyes, Draco said, "Not that you seem to bloody care, but I came to check and see if you were doing okay. We both had to revisit the final battle, and I know it had to have caused you some flashbacks like it did to me."

Relaxing slightly, Hermione thought back to their first time jump together. She hadn't expected to come out right in the midst of battle, but that's what happened. Just what they needed, another reminder of how fragile life was and the fact that many people were already missing to their lives due to the mistakes of others. Yeah. So very helpful.

Draco had returned with her after the jump, furious that they hadn't managed to discover where Theo had disappeared to and that he was probably going to need to see his therapist in order to sleep again. Hermione felt bad about that second one but even more so that Theo hadn't yet been located. Still, it was saying something that Draco had come to check on her.

She tucked a curl behind one ear and met his eyes. "I do care, Draco, and thank you for asking." She wasn't going to admit that she was hardly sleeping to begin with, let alone the dreams she'd had since. "I'm doing as well as expected in my situation. I'm sorry it was so horrible for you that first time."

"Where did you and Theo end up? You know, before he disappeared?" Draco asked, crossing his arms.

Unsure whether or not to tell the truth, Hermione figured it couldn't hurt. "It was a funeral in the future, but we had no idea whose or when." She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes, remembering as much as she could from that first time jump. "It was raining, and we were in the woods on the edge of the property. There was a large house in the distance, but I didn't focus on that. I spent most of the time begging Theo to come back since we knew the Time-Turner went both back  _and_  forward in time."

Scratching his chin, Draco contemplated her and then hummed thoughtfully. "You're no fun. I would have wanted to find out whose funeral it was."

"It was too risky," Hermione said disapprovingly. "We could have altered our timeline by knowing who had died." When Draco rolled his eyes, she added, "For all we know it could have been one of  _us_  being buried that day."

"Whatever you say, Granger," Draco muttered and then sighed. "Anyway, I just wanted to come check on you. I have a lot of work to do so I'll see you around."

"Wait," Hermione called out as he started to move away. "Shouldn't we plan what I'm telling Blaise?"

"We?" he questioned, giving her a skeptical look. "This is on you. I'm not getting involved any more than I already was." He gave her a little wave, but her strangled cry stopped him.

"What?!" Hermione practically shrieked but remembered to keep her voice down at the last second. "You're not going to time jump with me again so we can find Theo?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her and took in her frantic appearance. "Answer me this, Granger. Answer this question truthfully and I'll stay and help you with this crazy ass mission you've managed to get yourself into," Draco told Hermione, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets. "Why should I help you, my ex-wife, find Theo, the man who stole you away from me?"

Before Hermione could answer, there was a knocking at the door that caused Hermione to jump and Draco to clench his fists. They both turned and found Blaise standing there, his dark eyes glaring at Hermione, who had gone rather pale from his arrival on top of figuring out how to answer Draco's question. She looked like a grindylow out of water, her mouth opening and closing multiple times before snapping shut.

"Granger," Blaise greeted as he stepped into the office. "I hope you haven't forgotten about our meeting."

"Hello, Zabini," Hermione returned, her voice much quieter than it normally would have been in a situation like this. Her eyes flickered over to Draco in apology at the interruption, but he merely huffed a sigh and rolled his eyes. She bit her lip and returned her attention to the new arrival.

"Draco?" Blaise questioned when he spotted the blond standing in the corner, his gaze having followed Hermione's. "What the hell are you doing here?" He glanced between Hermione and Draco before practically glaring at Draco and waiting for an answer.

Throwing his hands into the air in exasperation, Draco said, "You know what? I have no bloody clue," before storming from Hermione's office. He slammed the door behind him, causing Hermione to flinch and Blaise to raise his eyebrows at the situation.

"Great," muttered Hermione as she was left alone with one very angry Blaise Zabini. She didn't have time to go running after Draco and make up right now. She knew he was going to want an answer and she wasn't sure she had one. Plus, there was still the issue of convincing Blaise that Theo was safe...wherever he may be… Plastering a smile on her face, Hermione turned to Blaise and said, "So, what can I do for you, Blaise? Everything okay?"

"I'm not going to even bother asking you why your ex-husband was here because that's none of my business," Blaise began, sitting down and giving her his full attention. "However, what  _is_  my business is the whereabouts of Theodore Nott."

"I'm sorry?" Hermione asked, standing up a bit straighter and crossing her arms. "Are you demanding I tell you what exactly?"

"Stop playing fucking games, Granger," Blaise growled. "Where the hell is my best mate?"

Buying some time, Hermione quietly made her way to her desk chair and sat down. Shuffling some papers around, she wet her lips and then met Blaise's angry stare. "I'm not at liberty to tell you that," she said carefully, a plan slowly forming in her mind.

"And why the hell not?" he snapped. Jabbing her desk with his finger, he said, "I'm his best mate, and he tells me everything, Granger. Even all the bullshit he's gone through with you. Now, you're going to tell me-"

"He's on an Unspeakable mission in Egypt," she blurted, saying the first thing to come to her in her panicked state. "He couldn't tell you as it came up abruptly and I'm not sure when he'll be back. I'm sorry, but I risk my own job even telling you that much."

"Oh," Blaise said, retreating somewhat and relaxing in the chair. Running a hand over his shaved head, he sighed. When he started to frown and open his mouth, Hermione acted quickly.

"Yes," Hermione jumped in again, not wanting to give him time to think about it. "I do apologize for causing you concern, but everything is… It's fine. Theo is fine." She cleared her throat and smiled. "He'll be back soon, I'm sure of it."

"Well, okay then." Blaise took his time standing and brushing out the wrinkles on his robes which made Hermione nervous. Turning for the door, he said, "Have a good day."

"Same to you, Zabini," Hermione said as pleasantly as possible given the fact that her heart was beating out of her chest at this point.

"I swear if you're lying to me, Granger," he said, glancing back at her from the doorway. "I'll have your job. You can bet your frizzy head on that one." And then he was gone, leaving her door wide open as it usually was.

Hermione felt all the air leave her in a rush of relief. Well, as much relief as she was permitted for the moment. She had managed to get Blaise off her case for the time being, but she still had to fix this mess with Draco. What was she going to tell him? How could she convince him that finding Theo was worth his time? He was right in asking… Going to her ex-husband was probably the worst idea she'd had so far. Shaking her head and rising to her feet, Hermione determined that she would just have to figure that out on the way upstairs to his office.

* * *

Draco opened the door to his office to find Hermione standing there. Rolling his eyes, he gestured for her to enter and then moved to sit behind his desk. "Let me guess, Blaise wanted to know what happened to Theo?"

Pursing her lips, Hermione settled herself in the seat opposite Draco's desk. "Yeah," she said quietly. "And I had to lie. I told him he was away in Egypt and that it was an Unspeakable mission."

"How many more lies are we going to have to tell, Granger?" Draco asked, raking a hand through his hair. "We can't keep this to ourselves forever."

"I know, and we won't," she replied almost pleadingly. "Just come with me on another time jump. I'm certain we'll find him this time. I was doing some calculations and-"

"No," Draco said plainly, cutting her off mid-sentence. He didn't want to waste her time anymore than she'd already wasted his. "I don't want to time jump with you again. It was too hard last time, seeing the war all over again." He visibly shuttered, obviously more affected by their trip to the past than he let on previously.

"But there's no guarantee we'll end up there again, Draco," she said softly, reaching out to put her hand on his arm. He flinched but didn't pull away. "Please, I can't do this alone."

"You should go to Shacklebolt," Draco said by way of answer, glancing down and away from her heavy gaze. "We can't keep this from him forever. Eventually, he's going to figure out Theo isn't on some sort of secret mission for the department and start asking questions like Blaise has done."

"Don't you think I don't know that?" Hermione gushed, her hands carding through her curls and tugging. "I'm at my wit's end. I should never have let him talk me into using that damned Time-Turner, but I did. In a moment of weakness, I let him talk me into this, and now I need your help finding him. Please, don't give up on me."

"This is a waste of time," Draco growled in frustration and ignoring the look of hurt that flashed across her face. "Honestly, you should just move on at this point. Go tell Potter and Shacklebolt and let them handle the fallout of this mess."

"No, Draco," Hermione said, jumping up from her chair. "I can't just forget Theo and let someone else find him through all of time. That's not who I am, and you know it."

"Do I?" he snapped, slamming his fist down on the desk hard enough to rattle his quill holder. "Finding Theo is a waste of your time  _and_ mine. He's probably lost for good, or even dead for all we know. Just let it go, Granger. What kind of wizard puts the witch he claims to care about in danger?"

Something inside of Hermione shattered at that. Her heart, maybe. Or, her resolve. Whatever it was, she would later regret the words that were to come out of her mouth. "Theo is twice the wizard that you could _ever_  be," she said in a deathly calm manner. Narrowing her eyes at her ex-husband, she added, "I'm not going to give up on him. He always put me first which is something you can't say."

As soon as the words left her mouth, they both knew it was over. As Hermione sucked in a sharp breath, Draco slowly made his way around his desk with purpose. Stopping in front of her, he leaned close to her face and sneered. "We're done here. Get out."

"Draco, I-"

"GET OUT!" he screamed so loudly she flinched and stumbled backwards. It was perfect for his next move which involved slamming his door in her stunned face. Alone, he turned around and raked both hands through his hair as she started to cry.

"Draco, please," she sobbed through the door. "We can't give up.  _You_  can't give up."

Still he didn't turn around and open the door. They were divorced, and this couldn't go on. If she wanted to find Theo, it had to be on her own. As her quiet sobs continued, Draco slowly felt his resolve breaking. Damn her and those tears. He always hated to see her cry and listening to it was even worse. "Damn it, Granger," he muttered under his breath.

"Theo would keep searching for you."

 _Fuck_.

Slowly rounding on the closed door, Draco knew she was right. Righteous Theo  _would_  keep searching for his friends, especially ones he'd wronged in the past. Heaving a sigh, Draco made his way to the door and practically ripped it off the hinges in an attempt to open it. Staring down into the tear-stained face of his ex-wife, he found his purpose. If anything, he would help Hermione find Theo so she could be happy because watching her be miserable was worse than being alone.

"Fine," he said, closing his eyes and hating how easily he caved to her every wish even now. "I won't give up. At least, not yet."


	11. Time Jump #10: August 28, 1985

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song Recommendations: "Time Travellers" by Riverside and "Secret" by Angel Snow  
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know… Another update. Hooray! The muse is fussy and wanted to play with another chapter before it would let me work on anything else. Hopefully, it's been calmed for the time being so I can get my other fest piece finished before my holiday. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one!
> 
> Thank you to starrnobella for alpha reading and GaeilgeRua for beta reading. I appreciate your help! Much love, xxDustNight
> 
> Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to J.K. Rowling. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.

"Diagon Alley…"

"Yes, Draco," Hermione muttered, tucking the Time-Turner into her robes after removing it from around their necks. "We're very clearly in Diagon Alley."

Swallowing, Hermione took a minute to glance around the crowded street as her ex-husband muttered incoherently to himself yet again about how they were going to get caught one of these days. It was always the same thing; they would travel to a new point in time, and Draco would complain about  _something_  in order to annoy Hermione. She was certain he did it on purpose at this point, but she couldn't be sure. Either way, he would quiet down after a minute, usually when she pulled out her journal to take note of their location.

Right on schedule as she pulled the journal from her pocket, Draco asked, "Why are there so many bloody people here today?"

"No idea," she muttered in response, using a Muggle pen to scribble down their location. "Try and grab a discarded paper from the bin over there." Lifting her gaze, she used the pen to indicate the bin she was referring to. "See what the date is."

Rolling his eyes, Draco did as he was told without argument. He'd learned that Hermione could be quite temperamental while they were time jumping and he didn't want to start an argument so early in the day. Finding a discarded  _Prophet_  on the top of the trash inside the bin, Draco was glad he didn't have to actually dig around. Malfoys did not dig through the rubbish. Pursing his lips, he unfolded the paper and nearly groaned at what he saw.

"Granger," he said while walking back over to where she was jotting down notes. He had no idea what she could be writing about as they had just arrived, but whatever. When she finally looked up from her task, he continued speaking. "It's August 28th. That's why there are so many people here right now."

Smiling, Hermione took the paper from Draco. "Only a few days out before students return to Hogwarts. Everyone is here buying supplies and preparing for the year." Her eyes skimmed the paper looking for the year and found it quickly in the upper right-hand corner. "Hmm, 1985. Why would Theo come here at only five years of age?"

"How should I know?" Draco scoffed, taking back the paper to toss in the bin once more. "I was only five myself in '85."

"Honestly, Draco," Hermione said with exasperation. Hurrying to scribble down the year in her notebook, she returned it to her pocket and gave the difficult wizard her full attention. "We've been through this; Theo,  _our_  Theo, could be anywhere. He was lost in time when the chain broke so now we just have to figure out where he would end up or hide."

"I understand the concept, Granger," Draco growled, glancing about as more witches, wizards, and their children wandered past. Grabbing her by the upper arm, he hastily pulled them into a dark alleyway. She glared at him but said nothing about the way he handled her. He wasn't rough. Lowering his voice, he hissed, "This is your tenth time doing this, the ninth looking for Theo. Don't you think that it's starting to get out of hand?"

"Out of hand?" Hermione said, slightly startled by his outburst. "I don't see how doing my very best to find my lost partner is getting out of hand. I'm so tired of this argument, Draco. Please, just trust me on this. Some version of Theo is here which means that his timeline link could have brought him back to this time when the chain broke."

"This is pure theory! There's no actual proof that any of your bullshit theories could even be legitimate," he said, dropping his hold on Hermione's arm to run his fingers through his hair.

"That's because this has never happened before! We're running on trial and error here, and I don't know what else to tell you." Hermione stood there glaring at her ex-husband with her hands on her hips and trying not the let the ache in her heart reach her eyes. She was sick and tired of crying over this ordeal, especially when in Draco's presence.

Knowing that Hermione was getting emotional, Draco sucked in a deep breath to calm himself. When he felt like he wouldn't snap and storm off, he opened his mouth to apologize. Maybe. Only, he never got the chance because there was a shout from a woman that caused both of them to look toward the opening of the alleyway.

"Stop! Theodore! Come back!"

Before their eyes, a little boy with a mess of dark hair came running toward them. He was almost to them when the shouting started up again, obviously by his mother.

"Please! Stop my son!"

Without thinking of the consequences, Draco reached out as the boy darted by and grabbed him around the waist. Beside him, Hermione cringed, the thought of interfering with the past at the forefront of her mind. It was done, though. Draco had successfully stopped the boy and was holding his struggling form tightly against his broad chest as the mother hurried to join them. Unsure of who this woman was, Hermione took half a step behind Draco, so she was slightly out of sight.

"Oh!" exclaimed the woman as she reached them. "Thank you so much for stopping my son. He knows better than to run off like that."

Clearing his throat and still holding the boy to his chest, Draco said, "It's not a problem. You're just lucky my seeker reflexes haven't diminished over the years."

Hermione bit her lip, wanting to smack Draco for revealing information about his life. This was bad. So bad. Unfortunately, the situation was about to go from bad to worse. She just didn't know it yet…

"I am quite thankful," the woman said. "It's not wise for young ones to go wandering down into Knockturn Alley, even now." She shivered despite the heat of the day and reached out for her son. The boy was shuffled from Draco's arms to hers, and then he promptly hid his face in his mother's neck, embarrassed.

Frowning, Draco turned and finally examined the alley he and Hermione had appeared in. Sure enough, they were standing at the mouth of Knockturn Alley. Suddenly worried, he glanced at Hermione, who had gone rather pale at this realization. He reached back and wrapped his hand around her wrist in reassurance. It may be after the fall of the Dark Lord, but it was still a bit unsafe for Muggle-borns to lurk near places such as Knockturn Alley.

"I can understand that," Draco said to cover the awkward silence that started settle between them. "We just stepped into the shade for a moment to cool off before continuing on our way. Business at Gringotts to attend to," he lied deftly, slightly annoyed that he was now making up cover stories to random strangers from the past.

The woman smiled and rubbed her hand through her son's dark hair. "I don't want to keep you, but truly, thank you for stopping Theodore. He likes to explore, and I'm sure he's looking forward to the punishment he'll receive later."

She knew she shouldn't, but Hermione faltered at the name and leaned around Draco to have a better look at the child. "I'm sorry, but did you say his name is Theodore?"

"Yes," the woman said kindly, nudging her son so he would look over at the strangers. "This is Theo, and I'm Ada. Say hello, Theo, and thank them for saving you from an even worse punishment."

"Mummmmm," the little boy whined, now trying to get down from her arms.

"Fine, fine," she muttered, setting him down on his feet and giving him a playful smack on the bottom. "Now run back to your father and don't let me find you wandering down here again. No dessert for a week!"

The little boy muttered something under his breath and then took off again, this time back into the sunshine of Diagon Alley. While Ada watched the boy go, Hermione and Draco shared a pointed glance. Hermione didn't know, but Draco was well aware of who Ada was and what fate awaited her. Trying to step back again, he was stopped when Ada sighed heavily and crossed her arms.

"I really am sorry for that," she told them. "He's usually more well-mannered."

"It's not a problem," Draco said and then nudged Hermione, who perked up. "We ought to be going though. I'm glad we could help."

"You have a great-" Ada stopped short as Hermione made to walk past. Gasping, she grabbed Hermione's arm and held on tightly. "Oh my!"

Panicking, Hermione looked to Draco for help. She was relieved when Ada released her arm, so she took a large step back, grabbing hold of Draco's for comfort. She had no idea who this woman was, but she obviously recognized Hermione. This was not good. This was why you didn't meddle with time.

"I've startled you," Ada whispered, looking especially regretful. "I didn't mean to do that. I have so much more to thank you for."

"Ma'am," Draco began carefully, holding up a hand to slow her down. "If you could explain to us how you know my partner here, that would be very helpful so that she doesn't panic."

"Of course I can. She saved my life," Ada gushed, a smile forming on her lips. "If it weren't for this witch here, I would have died, and Theodore never would have been born."

"Shit," Draco muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

Confusion began to cloud Ada's face as she looked from Draco to Hermione and then back again. "I take it that neither of you has any idea what I am talking about."

Deciding this was her fault, Hermione grabbed some of her Gryffindor courage and spoke up. "I'm so sorry, Ada. I've never seen you before in my life… At least, not yet." Cringing, she added, "Or not until now…"

"You're time travelling." A quiet settled over the three as the truth was accepted. Neither Hermione nor Draco tried to deny her statement, so Ada nodded and carried on. "I suppose this is how we meet… How our story begins."

"What the hell are you talking about," Draco growled, a bit of his temper leaking through. He ignored Hermione's pointed look, instead focusing his glare on Ada.

"I'm Ada Nott, but you don't seem too surprised at that. I'm guessing you at least have some idea of who I am." She said this to Draco, who swallowed and nodded solemnly.

"You're Theo Nott's mother," he said simply, ignoring the way Hermione pressed her hand into his lower back. "I remember you from when I was a child and Theo always talked kindly of you."

"The timeline…" Hermione hissed, obviously catching on to what Draco was alluding to.

"Don't worry, dear," Ada replied, crossing her arms. "I'm not surprised to find I don't live a long life. After all, you were the one to save me the night I gave birth to my son."

"I  _saved_ you?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice. When Ada nodded, she added, " _How_?"

Ada chuckled and then checked the area, her sapphire eyes making sure no one was listening to their conversation. "Somehow you knew I was dying and came to me when I was in labor. You gave me an antidote and cured me. Now, I have no idea how I came to be infected with Dragon Pox, but you did. I suspect that you'll find out eventually on your own."

"This is a bloody mess," Draco mumbled, rubbing his face with his hand. "We're definitely going to fuck up the timeline if we keep on talking."

"I don't think any harm will come from it," Ada quipped. "After all, now you know what you have to do, and that's all. It's not like I'd ask for details pertaining to my death."

"He can't tell you that," Hermione said, terrified this conversation was even happening, let alone the thought of Draco giving away secrets that could change their futures.

"I know that," Theo's mother responded with a sigh. "I fear our time is probably coming to an end for now. However, I need to know one thing before we go our separate ways."

"What's that?" Draco asked although he had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"How is Theo? In your time, I mean. Is he alright?" When Draco and Hermione gave each other that nervous look again, Ada settled her palm against her heart. "Oh no…"

Hermione cut her off before she could get upset. "We don't know, Ada. He's lost in time, and that's why we're here. We're looking for him, but so far we just keep encountering his past and future versions."

"Damn it, Granger," Draco said, tipping his head back and sighing heavily. "You can't just tell his mother what's happened in the future!"

"I'm not going to tell a five-year-old what's going to happen to him in the future, Draco." At his startled look, she smirked. "Yes, I know who you are. Now that I'm looking at you more carefully, I can see the Malfoy family resemblance. You take after your father but the softness of your mother is there, as well."

Draco stood there reeling, his thoughts going a million miles a minute through his brain. "You can't breathe a word of this to anyone, let alone your son. It could change the entire future."

"Yes, if this information gets into the wrong hands…" Hermione clasped her hands together, fear making her heart race. She looked at Draco, who was giving nothing away right now and felt her stomach clench.

"I promise," Ada said softly. "You have my word. Is there anything I can do? To help you search for my son?"

"Honestly," Hermione began, biting her lower lip briefly. "I have no idea if there's anything you could do at all. Just, keep an eye on him as he grows up. Love him and make sure he knows it."

"I can do that," Ada said, tears forming in her eyes. Daringly, she came forward and wrapped Hermione in a quick embrace. "Thank you for saving my life. I promise to keep your secret if you promise to find my son."

Swallowing back tears, Hermione nodded, her chin brushing against Ada's shoulder. "I promise. Draco and I will find him if it's the last thing we do." Over Ada's shoulder, Hermione spotted Draco, his face grave. He looked down and away and so Hermione extracted herself from Ada's embrace and backed up. "We have to go. Our time here is short."

"Be safe." Glancing at Draco, Ada said, "I will watch out for you too, you know. I know of things that are planned for the future, and I will do my best to ensure your safety as well."

"I wish you wouldn't do anything that affects the future, Ada," Draco mumbled, walking forward and waiting impatiently as Hermione dug in her robes for the Time-Turner. As Hermione placed it around their necks, he wasn't surprised to see Ada smile.

"It's nothing different than I wouldn't do anyway," she told them. "I've always looked out for you and little Blaise, as well. You two be safe… Until we meet again." She gave them a little wave as the ticking started, signaling that their time here was over.

Hermione managed a tight-lipped smile and a wave, but Draco merely nodded. As Ada and Diagon Alley faded away, neither spoke a word to one another. For once as they traveled back to the present, they feared finding Theo more than ever before. Hermione wanted to know what happened to Ada and why she was forced to save her life so Theo could be born, and Draco pondered on whether or not there was more to Ada's mysterious death all those years ago...


	12. Part VI: 14 November 2016

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song Recommendations: "Breathe Less" by Bruno Merz and "I'll Follow" by Fancy Cars and Svrcina
> 
> [Listen to the Partners in Time playlist here!](https://open.spotify.com/user/1246401351/playlist/6hb4vunuUowA3PyCrmtGMA?si=ZT0B_SUGSdSSIrQrtqyvBA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Started this last week and wasn't sure where it was going so I set it aside. Picked it back up today after finishing Part XVII of Empire and finished it quickly. It may not be the most eventful of chapters, but it's important. That's all I'll say for now. Thanks for the love and those of you still sticking with me on this one. I hope you're enjoying this tale!
> 
> I'd like to thank SquarePeg72 for alpha reading and helping pick songs. I also need to thank GaeilgeRua for alpha reading and allowing me to use her Grammarly account so my impatient arse could post this tonight! Much love, xxDustNight
> 
> Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to J.K. Rowling. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.

"Granger, don't you have work to do?"

Rolling her eyes, Hermione set aside the Muggle pen she was using and glared at her ex-husband. Draco was standing in the doorway to her office, arms crossed, and a single eyebrow quirked. Sighing, she pointed down at the notebook she'd been writing in before speaking to him.

"I was working," she started. "I was adding a few notes to our time-jump journal." She picked up the small notebook and held it out toward Draco so he could see.

Draco stepped fully into the office and accepted the notebook. He held it in his hands, flipping through some of the pages to see what was there. He was surprised by the amount of detail she seemed to take notice of each occasion they travelled through time. Even he hadn't been paying this much attention. His fingertips traced over the words from her and Theo's first time-jump.

A graveyard. Rain. People milling about wearing all black. A large building in the distance.

The details were very sparse compared to the other entries. Clearly, Hermione hadn't been paying as much attention to her surroundings that first time around. Since then, she'd made sure to write down everything she remembered she saw or what she was seeing. Page upon page, covered in things such as the date, weather, who was present, and which version of Theo they encountered. She even listed her feelings and his reaction to the time-jump. It was madness, and Draco could easily imagine her pouring over this day and night instead of taking care of herself or her real responsibilities.

"I think that maybe you're taking this a bit too far," Draco said carefully, easily remembering how Hermione used to get engrossed in her work back when they were married. They both did. Instead of handing the notebook back to her, he closed it and set it on the edge of her desk.

She glared at him and then snatched the notebook off the desk and tucked it into a drawer. "Really, Draco," she snapped. "I'm not taking this too far; I simply don't want to make any mistakes when we're jumping through time."

"Make any mistakes-" Draco started to say and then sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "The entire thing is a mistake. We're screwing with time, Granger. This is already a mess even without keeping track of all the bloody details."

"If we don't keep a record and manage to change something, then there's no fixing it later!" Hermione all but yelled, rising from her chair.

"Fix it later?"

"Will you stop repeating everything I say?" she asked, clearly getting agitated.

"Maybe I would if you stopped saying such ridiculous things about this entire ordeal," Draco explained. He sighed again but in a much calmer manner before dropping into a chair. Before Hermione could react to what he just said, he barreled onward. "Look, I didn't come here to argue. Merlin knows we do enough of that as it is."

Breathing heavily from trying not to get upset, Hermione sat back down as well. "I'm sorry. I'm just really stressed out about finding Theo and making sure no one suspects anything in the meantime."

"You told Blaise he was on an Unspeakable mission. It should be fine." Draco was trying to calm her down before she could cry. He could easily see the flush to her cheeks and neck, as well as the way she kept taking short breaths. Clear signs that a sob fest was coming…

"It should work for now, but what if the Minister comes calling or Blaise says something to someone else in the department?" Hermione shakily gestured at her open door, indicating that she and Theo were not the only ones who worked down here in the Department of Mysteries.

"Those things are true," Draco conceded. However, he was bound to calm his ex-wife down before she lost it entirely. "We're going to find Theo. Then this mess will be over, and you can destroy the Time-Turner, so this never happens again."

Hermione laughed at that and Draco saw she was relaxing, ever so slightly. Tucking a curl behind her ear, she smiled and said, "You're suddenly optimistic. What's changed?"

Draco shrugged with a smirk taking over his face. "You know me, always looking to finish a job quickly. How else can we do that then keep time-jumping until we find him."

"We still have to be careful," Hermione warned. "We can't risk travelling too often, you know."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Time sickness and all that." Draco waved off Hermione's warning, simply, glad he'd distracted her from her earlier frustrations. "I'm not saying we go multiple times a day, but once a day couldn't hurt, right?"

Biting her lip, Hermione settled deep into thought. Draco merely sat there and waited for her to figure her shit out. He wanted this over just as much as she did, but probably for an entirely different reason. It was hard having to work with her again; seeing her smile and laugh and yearn for someone else. This needed to be over so he could go back to pretending he'd never been married to her. It hurt his heart too much to see her and know she cared for someone else instead. If anyone found out, they would insist he was mad, and he had to admit, they were probably right.

"Okay," Hermione finally said after clearing her throat. "We can search more often, but we have to be careful. I don't want either of us losing our lives over this."

"I'll let you do the planning," Draco said easily. "You're better at that anyway. Your little black book will keep track of all the details, and I'll come along, so you're not alone. Same as we planned, just more often."

Wetting her lips, Hermione still looked hesitant over his new suggestion. Nevertheless, she did ask, "Did you want to go later this evening?"

Flinching, Draco remembered he already had plans. "Sorry, but I have somewhere I need to be tonight. Tomorrow, sure. I can go then if you're available."

"That could work," Hermione said with a smile. "What are you doing tonight?" she asked out of habit.

"Well," Draco began trying to come up with some way to explain he had a date without actually telling her he was seeing someone. Luckily, he was saved by a sudden knock on the doorframe.

Both their heads snapped to attention only to find Harry standing there looking more than a little confused. Draco wondered how long he had been there. Damn Hermione and her open door policy.

"Malfoy?" Harry questioned as he stepped into the office. "What are you doing here?"

Sighing heavily, Draco stood from the chair and shrugged. "If I had a galleon for every time I was asked that…" Striding to the door, he turned back and nodded to Hermione. "We'll discuss this more tomorrow. See you later, Potter. I was just leaving."

"Sure," Hermione replied, nervously glancing between her best friend and ex-husband. "Tomorrow will work. Thanks for your help."

Instead of replying, he waved and disappeared down the hall to the lifts. That left Hermione and Harry alone, and the latter had questions. Questions Hermione was definitely not looking forward to answering. Swallowing, she smiled at her friend and gestured for him to shut her door and take a seat.

"Hey, Harry." She sat up straight in her chair and waited for her oldest friend to take a seat. When he was comfortable, she asked, "What brings you down here?"

Harry sighed heavily, leaning forward to place his face in his hands. When he sat back, he gave her a hard stare. "Hermione, you and I have been friends for a very long time. I didn't stop you that day you visited him in his office, but now I need to know. What the hell are you doing talking with Malfoy again?"

Refraining from rolling her eyes, Hermione placed her hands on her lap and prepared to lie to yet another person. Sort of. "He's helping me with a case. That's all I can share."

"You expect me to believe that?" Harry asked, looking every bit as sceptical as she expected.

"Yeah," Hermione snapped in defence. "Why shouldn't you?"

"Come on, Hermione," he said with a sigh. "The way things ended between you two… There's no way you're working together without wanting to tear each other's throats apart. Tell me what's really going on."

"I'm not lying, Harry," she said evenly. "Something came up here, and I required assistance. I knew Draco's particular skill set would be beneficial so I sucked it up and asked him for help." When Harry made to argue, she held up her hand. "I can't elaborate on the details because of the situation so I would appreciate it if you just took my words at face value."

"I worry about you," Harry said softly, remembering all too well the mess that was his best friend after she and Draco separated and divorced. "I don't want you to get hurt again."

"That won't happen. This is strictly business." Hermione bit the inside of her lip, worrying that Harry might be right. There was a risk in working with Draco. She knew this from the start. They may be divorced, but she still had feelings for him. It was just that her feelings for Theo were stronger. She felt too much guilt when it came to Draco.

"As long as you're certain it's just business," Harry said slowly, peering at her through his black frames. "It seems a bit odd to me that Draco would willingly agree to work with you again, as horrible as that sounds."

"It wasn't easy to convince him, actually," Hermione admitted. There, she was telling the truth. "It took some persuading, but in the end, he saw it could only be him to be my partner on this one."

"What about Theo?"

Hermione wanted to groan, but somehow she managed not to react to that. "He's on an Unspeakable Mission of his own."

"Huh." Harry scratched his head, taking her story in. "I guess that makes sense."

Letting out a long, quiet breath, Hermione tried to relax. Hopefully, she could steer this conversation back around now. "So what did you stop by for anyway?" She added a smile, trying to seem cheerful despite having just nearly been caught.

"I came to invite you to dinner tonight," Harry told her. "Ginny insists."

"Dinner sounds wonderful," Hermione said with a smile, the tension leaving her body as the topic changed. "The usual time?"

"Yup," Harry answered and then stood up from the chair. He walked around the desk and gave her a quick hug, lingering to say one last thing into her ear. "I wish you had come to me instead of Malfoy."

Releasing her hold, Hermione ran a hand through her hair. "It had to be him, Harry. I'm sorry. Next time, if I need the help, I'll come to you. I promise."

"Okay." Harry turned and made for the door. Opening it, he gave her a smile. "See you tonight."

"See you tonight."

Once alone, Hermione lowered her head to the desk and groaned. That was a close call, and she only imagined it was going to get harder and harder to keep this mission a bloody secret if people kept stopping by her office when she was trying to discuss finding Theo with her ex-husband. Deciding she better get some real work done, Hermione lifted her head and tried to put all thoughts of Draco and Theo out of her mind. They wouldn't be going out on their next time-jump until tomorrow, and her paperwork was starting to pile up. Theo would be proud.


End file.
